Grist | Topics | 329 Results

RESULTS		Results 51 – 75 of 329
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Headline	Author	Published	Section
Give Grease a Chance On cooking oil, again	Umbra Fisk	03 Dec 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, You missed a fantastic opportunity to promote biodiesel use of the cooking oil. There are many people collecting frying oil from restaurants and the like, and perhaps the reader could find a person collecting as well. Check newspaper ads for persons collecting or check the restaurants in your neighborhood for who is collecting. Thanks for the great articles. Keith McCready Waterloo, Iowa Editor's Note: Oh, how Umbr ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, biofuels, food, green living (all these topics)

Root Cause On living Christmas trees	Umbra Fisk	28 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Hi Umbra, I'm surprised that in your column on Christmas trees, you didn't mention the option of living trees, although I know they cannot be subjected to our warm indoor temperatures for very long. Can you discuss the option of living trees, how to treat them indoors, and what to do with them after the holidays? Thanks, Christina Gallegos Treeplanter and Naturalist Seattle, Wash. Editor's Note: Oh, how Umbra would love to answer ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday (all these topics)

Fry, Fry Again On used cooking oil	Umbra Fisk	26 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, It's always nice to look through cookbooks and to watch cooking shows that feature yummy deep-fried food, and I have often been tempted to try and cook my own creations. However, no one ever seems to mention what they do with the used cooking oil, especially after deep-frying. What is the best way of disposing the oil? I do not want to tip it down the sink, and adding it to compost will suffocate the earthworms. Perhaps it' ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, waste (all these topics)

Java Script On reheating coffee	Umbra Fisk	21 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, As a web developer for a certain respectable online magazine somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, I drink a lot of coffee to keep me alert and my very demanding employers happy. However, in my constant imbibing of the dark elixir, I'm concerned about the energy use involved. Specifically, I can only drink coffee piping hot, and sometimes when I take a break from being wired and resume my regimen, what little coffee is left is i ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy efficiency, food, green living (all these topics)

Smolder and Wiser On fireplace ashes	Umbra Fisk	12 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, What should we do with ashes from the fireplace? I've heard that they're great for the garden and I've heard that they may not be so good for the garden. Are they a good replacement for salt on slippery sidewalks? Janet Allen Syracuse, N.Y. Dearest Janet, Why not make some soap? Here come the holidays, after all. All you'd have to do is run water over the ashes to make potash, boil the potash down into lye, render your o ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling, waste (all these topics)

Kitty Twister On cats and birds	Umbra Fisk	07 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I have three cats, and live in a close-in suburb of Boston. I love the cats dearly, and let them outside during the day to wander about, and generally not have to live an indoor, sedentary, boring life. My question concerns their hunting instincts: I haven't had any luck with any particular way of preventing them from killing birds, mice, etc. I worry most about the birds, having read repeatedly that the millions of pet cats w ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, wildlife (all these topics)

Season's Bleatings On corporate holiday cards	Umbra Fisk	31 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My company wants to send out holiday cards each year, but I find it wasteful, especially because of the increased transportation load on the post office. What could we do instead? Cindy Truckee, Calif. Dearest Cindy, A stumper. I can think of three choices: No cards, paper cards, and email cards. Is tradition stacked against you? Photo: churl Businesses send holiday cards to show appreciation, remind clients of ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, business, green living, holiday (all these topics)

Wash and Dry On dishwashing and droughts	Umbra Fisk	24 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I am trying to be so much more green than I used to be, so your column has helped me with the nagging questions. Now I wonder about living in a drought-stricken state with water restrictions and bulging landfills. Saturday I had a wedding shower for a dear niece and invited many women relatives. I decided to forgo convenience and served everything on beautiful plates, no paper plates, no plastic silverware, no plastic ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics)

Ghoul, Interrupted On Halloween	Umbra Fisk	22 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, We really enjoy the community aspect of trick-or-treating but we don't want to give out candy to the little ones, or toxic plastic Chinese toys. Two hundred kids come to our house every Halloween. How do we keep it green, safe, and economical? Jodi McMillian Charleston, W.Va. Dearest Jodi, Two hundred children? How did you keep it economical last year? Let's see, if you were to buy a bag of mini Snickers with 70 in the bag, a ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, holiday, parenting (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, food, green living, waste (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, wildlife (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, green living, parenting, shopping (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, green cleaning, green living (all these topics)

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" ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, food, green living (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, oceans (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy efficiency, food, green living, health, shopping (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green building, green living (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, green products, toxics (all these topics)

Whence It Came On biodegradable products	Umbra Fisk	11 Jul 2007	Ask Umbra
Dearest Umbra, With biodegradable corn-plastic products like clothes hangers, credit cards, and trash bags, we are led to believe there are good alternatives to plastic that can be thrown out guilt-free. But doesn't all trash get put in landfills that are then hermetically sealed to prevent the bad contaminants from leaching out, but hold in the things that would have been composting otherwise? I thought that was the reason to co ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, green living, oil, recycling, shopping (all these topics)

Heads You Lose On replacing toilets	Umbra Fisk	09 Jul 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I'm selling my house in Los Angeles and my toilet is not low-flow. One of the inspectors is trying to tell me I need to replace my toilet with a new low-flow. Well, I know the old ziplock baggie filled with water trick. But I saw that you made mention of some kits to reduce the flow from 3.5 gallons per flush to 1.6 gallons a flush. I believe in recycling. I don't feel that I have to replace my working toilet. Can I modify ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, green building, green living (all these topics)

Ka-Boom On fireworks	Umbra Fisk	02 Jul 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Our family has always lit a fair amount of fireworks for our 4th of July celebration. I would like to encourage my family and friends to find other ways to celebrate due to the CO2 emissions that will result. However, I don't really know how much carbon is emitted. I already have to deal with the fact that many in my family are not taking climate change seriously, so I want to be knowledgeable when I state my case. Donna Elk Grove, Cali ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, green living, health (all these topics)

Purity Supreme On water filters	Umbra Fisk	27 Jun 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I drink a lot of water. I have a food-grade stainless-steel canteen, and I filter my tap water via a Brita. I try to minimize my purchase of plastics, and I try to avoid plastics being anywhere near my food or water. But herein lies my dilemma: I've never seen a water filter pitcher that was not plastic. Even if I could find a pitcher, the filters are still plastic. Are there any options short of using a pant leg stuffed with ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, water pollution (all these topics)

Dune What Comes Natur'lly On peeing at the beach	Umbra Fisk	25 Jun 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, When at a beach with no bathrooms, is it better, environmentally speaking, to urinate in the ocean or behind a sand dune? Tom Greenville, N.C. Dearest Tom, A good, silly summer question to consider as regards our impact on the natural environment. There are non-environmental concerns with beach urination as well, such as disgusting your fellow sunbathers and your fellow readers. Who, however, will cast the fi ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, water pollution (all these topics)

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