Grist | Topics | 334 Results

RESULTS		Results 251 – 275 of 334
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Headline	Author	Published	Section
Export Retort On exporting our recycling	Umbra Fisk	09 Mar 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, While we were cleaning out a family member's house, a neighbor stopped by to see what we were up to. I mentioned that we were tossing "real trash" into the large dumpster and compiling recyclable materials for a trip to the recycling center or metal scrap yard. We don't know this person well, but without him knowing our political persuasion, he stated that recycling is just another segment of the "liber ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Doubt of the Benefit On the benefits of recycling	Umbra Fisk	09 Mar 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Some time ago, the public radio program This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass, was about recycling. Glass reported, "Experts agree that we have plenty of landfill space for the foreseeable future." He proposed that recycling therefore did little more than make us feel good. The hapless person he interviewed came up with no better response to that than, "Well, what's wrong with feeling good?&q ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling, solid waste treatment and disposal, waste (all these topics)

For What Shall It Profit a Man... On recycling profitability	Umbra Fisk	09 Mar 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My friend has the notion that recycling programs lose money. Where does this come from? I can imagine situations where that could be the case, but in most cities there seems to be plenty of material being recycled to justify the collection infrastructure, etc. And surely there are markets for more recycled content than we currently produce. Why does the myth persist that recycling doesn't make sens ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

The Heat Is On Advice on heating tiny urban dwellings	Umbra Fisk	25 Feb 2004	Ask Umbra
OK, Umbra, I live in a building in Brooklyn where, in typical Brooklyn style, we do not control our own heat. That is, there is no thermostat in our apartment. Thus, our only options for regulating the temperature in the winter are turning off the radiators or opening the windows. Obviously the latter is an absurd waste of energy; I don't want my poor radiator trying to heat all of the outer boroughs of New York City ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics)

Chips and Peanuts On packaging peanuts	Umbra Fisk	25 Feb 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I was wondering whether you could provide me with advice about packaging materials. You see, I was recently married and my wife and I now find ourselves buried under packaging peanuts, Styrofoam, and other such materials, much as we tried to avoid the fate (of receiving loads of store-bought gifts, that is, not of being hitched). What do you suggest we do with boxes and boxes of this post-nuptial detritus? Chip Giller G ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Toxic Cling On fabric softening	Umbra Fisk	12 Feb 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, With winter upon us, I'm thinking about a serious matter: fabric softener. During the summer, I don't use any. However, with snow looming, static cling is on my mind. Long story short, which is better: liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets? Allie Shippensburg, Penn. Dearest Allie, Your home will be a happier, healthier place if no fabric softener darkens your dryer. Both liquid and sheet contain a stunning amount of notoriou ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics)

Kid Commando On diaperless parenting	Umbra Fisk	12 Feb 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I have a baby on the way. Due to prodding by my wife, I have begun to think about things such as diapers. Babies make a lot of boom-boom, and wrapping it all up in a bundle of plastic diaperness, tossing that in a plastic sack, and then tossing the lot in a landfill seems eco-unfriendly. And reusable diapers are definitely parent-unfriendly, insists my wife. I have seen some all-cotton and paper disposable diapers, but at ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, parenting, solid waste treatment and disposal, waste (all these topics)

Make Local Focal More advice on recycling batteries	Umbra Fisk	26 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I've been turning in my used alkaline batteries at the local drug store's photo department, mine being Savon here in Southern California. It appears they recycle their spent film cans and cartridges, as well as cameras and batteries. At least this is what I have surmised when I have dropped off my used batteries and the attendants have not refused me. It wouldn't hurt for others to do the same. Besides, onc ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Tank You Kindly On tankless water heaters	Umbra Fisk	26 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, While you were warning folks to plan ahead for a potential water-tank failure, I thought you should mention the natural gas heat-on-demand systems that they should use to replace their tanks. Last spring, when our 50-gallon tank decided to give our basement floor a thorough cleaning, we had to scramble to find an energy-efficient alternative. First, we had trouble finding a plumber who knew how to install the new ene ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics)

The Tao of Stove On wood stoves	Umbra Fisk	26 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, When you suggested that someone may want wood heat because it "makes you feel like a country stud," you made an erroneous assumption -- that your audience is entirely urban. Here in Skamokawa, Wash., many a mile from the nearest natural gas line, the choices are essentially wood or electricity. In September, my family installed a Blaze King wood stove, which uses a catalytic converter to convert smoke to heat. Not on ...
Topics: advice, air pollution, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics)

Cater to Pater On intransigent non-recyclers	Umbra Fisk	15 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I am a completely eco-friendly person and strive to have my family follow in those footsteps. We have a recycling system -- one my canned-beer-drinking dad refuses to abide by. (Not that I'm criticizing canned beer or my father. Both are good.) He refuses to recycle his cans, and I'm a little tired of digging them out of the garbage. Is there anything I could do to change his outlook on his wastefulness? Rebecca ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Widget Jones Diary On recycling widgets	Umbra Fisk	15 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I am a huge fan of Guinness, often referring to it as Nectar of the Gods. Question is, are the cans with the cool nitrous plastic doohickeys in them recyclable? I've got a bet riding on this with the significant other. Thanks for enlightenment. Melissa Denver, Colo. Dearest Melissa, Yes. Guinness recycling is good for you. That little ball is known as a widget, which is another word for doohickey. It's made of polypro ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Brew Ado On beer containers	Umbra Fisk	15 Jan 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My friends and I consume a fair amount of beer, and we're wondering: What's worse for the environment, buying beer in cans or in bottles? Kelly Manitoba, Canada Dearest Kelly, Thank you for giving me a reason to look up the Earth's mineral-reserves map in my atlas. I've learned fascinating things about aluminum and glass and discussed the whole matter with lifecycle analysis experts and recycling folks (including my pal Peke the ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Aqua Delve-a (Sorry) On water heaters	Umbra Fisk	18 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I have a question that's been nagging at me for some time. Since I have a water heater inside my house, any waste heat from the water heater contributes to heating the house. Does it still make sense in terms of energy savings to put an insulating blanket on the water heater? Kurt Littleton, Colo. Dearest Kurt, Getting tanked. Photo: PNNL. After space heat -- that is, heating your entire home -- water heaters are the l ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics)

Thermostatic On turning down the thermostat	Umbra Fisk	18 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My housemates and I are engaged in an ongoing argument about the heat (gas) in our somewhat old house. I argue that for the minimum eight hours that we are out of the house during the day, we should turn our heat down to at least 62 degrees. They argue that we should leave it at 68 at all times, because it takes more energy to heat up the house later when we all arrive home. Not surprisingly, we can't agree about a ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics)

Naturally: Gas On home heating	Umbra Fisk	18 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Can you shed some light (or some warmth) on the most environmentally sound ways to heat one's home this winter? Natural gas over coal and oil for its lower carbon (and particulate) content? What about fireplaces: good or bad? Would burning gas logs be a good alternative to burning real wood? Thanks for your help! Janet Washington, D.C. Dearest Janet, What we cold eco-folks are looking for is a heat source that is clean to prod ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, coal, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, natural gas, oil (all these topics)

In the Flesh On eco-friendly meat	Umbra Fisk	11 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, While I'm not a vegetarian, I try to choose my foods based on their environmental impact. For me, most non-organic meat doesn't make the cut: It uses too much water, land, and other resources, and it pollutes our land and water. I know this because I know about CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), which are the sources of the bulk of the chicken, pork, and beef that Americans eat. But what about lamb? I've never s ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living, industrial ag, local food, ranching, sustainable ag (all these topics)

Ante-Plastic On food storage	Umbra Fisk	11 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I recently read about the possible effects of plastics on women and the fetuses they may be carrying. I'm ready to change my ways, but I'm not sure how. Do you have some good suggestions about other ways we can package our leftovers or pack foods for lunch at school and work? Natalie Portland, Ore. Dearest Natalie, Time to go old school, perhaps literally. If plastic is the problem, the answer may be one compound word: ante-plas ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living, green products (all these topics)

A Consumption Manifesto How to streamline your life and still enjoy the heck out of it	Umbra Fisk	25 Nov 2003	Ask Umbra
Editor's note: Ever wonder when We the People stopped being called citizens and started being called consumers? Take back your real identity, and take the consumption-crazy days from Thanksgiving to New Year's in stride -- with Umbra Fisk's guide to graceful (and limited) consuming. Consumption is one of life's great pleasures. Buying things we crave, traveling to beautiful places, ea ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics)

Hail Magnetron! On microwaves	Umbra Fisk	17 Nov 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, We recently bought a new (to us) house and acquired a microwave oven. Having gotten this far in life without one, we figured we wouldn't use it all that much. Ha. We use it all the time. It's just so much faster than heating things on the stove. I do wonder, though, which is more energy-efficient. Is it more eco-friendly to heat milk for a minute in the microwave, or five minutes on the gas stove? And is there anything to the pe ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, food, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics)

Go Fish On eco-friendly fish consumption	Umbra Fisk	17 Nov 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I recently turned 40 and have decided I need to pay more attention to what I eat on a daily basis. My diet has never been horrible, and I've always believed in all things in moderation, but a persistently elevated cholesterol level and my mortality now a smudge on the horizon have helped nudge me in this direction. And everywhere I turn it's fish, fish, and more fish: doctors recommending more omega-3 oils (in the for ...
Topics: advice, aquaculture, Ask Umbra, fishing, food and agriculture, green living, toxics (all these topics)

Defrost Cost On car heaters	Umbra Fisk	28 Oct 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My friend and I have a bet going that I hope you can settle. She thinks that running the heat in a car in the winter is "free" -- that is, it doesn't use additional gas. As a conservationist, this pleases her greatly. However, I think that turning on the heat does use additional gas if you are using the defroster. Can you settle this for us? Thanks! Sama Denver, Colo. Dearest Sama, You win. But I fear this is a wager wi ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, cars, energy, energy efficiency, green living, placemaking (all these topics)

Battery FAQ On recycling batteries	Umbra Fisk	28 Oct 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I have to humbly admit that for years I've known that one can recycle batteries, but unfortunately, I've never known where or how to do this. I've been living in Seattle and northern Italy for the last year, and I have a pile of old batteries in each place. If you have any insight into how I might go about recycling them in both the U.S. and Europe, I'd so appreciate it! With gratitude, Meg Seattle, Wash., and Ivrea, It ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, Italy, recycling, solid waste treatment and disposal, toxics, waste (all these topics)

It's Not the Size of the Carrot... Advice on choosing carrots	Umbra Fisk	28 Oct 2003	Ask Umbra
Dearest Umbra, I'm curious how they make those mystical little carrots that are just the right size for snacking. Are baby carrots actually harvested that small, or are they carved out of bigger carrots? If they're carved out of bigger carrots, where do all the shavings go? Bottom line: Am I supporting a wasteful production process when I buy baby-cut carrots or is my green consciousness just a tad bit hypera ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics)

The Executive Ranch The scoop on Bush's Texas getaway	Umbra Fisk	15 Oct 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I heard a rumor that President Bush's Texas ranch is off the grid. I find it very hard to believe (unless "off the grid" means he has his own oil well and refinery set up) and I can't find any documentation about it. Ever heard this? Know if it's true or false? Skeptical, Julie Chicago, Ill. Dearest Julie, "Off the grid," for our curious readers, is not a reference to pancake cookery ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, electricity grid, energy at home, George Bush, geothermal power, green living, solid waste treatment and disposal (all these topics)

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