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Author |
Published |
Section |
Moonshine Lullaby
On organic liquors |
Umbra Fisk |
19 Mar 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, After an epic weekend of drinking, I realized I've never seen or heard about any organic liquors. I've seen organic beer and wine, but never any organic gin, vodka, scotch, etc. Any chance I can drink in the future without having to feel guilty about not being organically drunk? David Tucker Rockville, Md. Dearest David, Isn't the whole point of drunkenness insulation from guilt and its fellow emotions? Don't feel guilty. ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products (all these topics) |
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One Word
On oil and plastic |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Mar 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, How much oil is used to make a pound (or some other comparable measure) of typical plastics? Melody Evans Paris, Ill. Dearest Melody, Ah, Paris. Is it as lovely in the springtime as they say? Yes, Ben, plastics ... Photo: The Graduate (1967)/MGM Your question is a good and tricky one. Let's start with a look at how plastic is made. Manufacturers take simple hydrocarbons from whatever source material they're using -- commonly crud ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, green living, oil (all these topics) |
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Levels of Risk
On chlorine |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Mar 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, So I've been buying unbleached diapers for my baby, using chlorine-free laundry and dish soaps and non-chlorine bleached paper, and generally thinking that's better for me and the environment. Then I go swimming in a chlorinated pool twice a week, sometimes with my kids! Is there a difference in the type of chlorine exposure? Is swimming a health risk? It certainly bothers my nose (I think I'll start using some nose plugs). Can you ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, parenting, toxics (all these topics) |
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Trash Course
On landfills vs. incinerators |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Mar 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, Is there an environmentally preferable choice between sending your trash to a landfill or an incinerator? I know to think of the three R's first, but what's the better way to dispose of the remainder? Incinerators convert waste into energy but generate air pollution. Landfills (ideally) recover and utilize methane but much of the waste will never decompose. So if one has a choice, what's the best of two evils? Lisa Dr ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Cleaning House
On disposing of toxic chemicals |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Mar 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Now that I've caught the environmental bug, I don't know what to do with the toxic cleaning products (e.g., Ajax) that I have on hand. As a bulk buyer, I've got 5 to 6 bottles in my garage. Is it better to use them up, throw them away, or just have them stay put in my garage? Jill Miller Pleasanton, Calif. Dearest Jill, Do not leave them in your garage! Home storage of unused toxics inevitably leads to irksome ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green cleaning, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Are You Kind?
Umbra on love and kindness |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Feb 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Sorry to hear you are under the weather. Hope you are fully jauntified soon! Brian Plymouth, Minn. Dearest Brian, Thank you so much for this note, and thank you to the other people who wrote in wishing me better health after a little comment I made about my head feeling like it was stuffed with insulation. I've been sick like a dog and so have my, uh, co-dependents, and it has been a super bummer, which is not a medi ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Honey and Vinegar
On convincing colleagues to turn the lights off |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Feb 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm always hollering at my friends and colleagues to turn off the lights when they leave the room. Considering my business is green-related, it blows me away that my staff can't seem to get a handle on flicking the switch. But it's probably mostly a matter of them not really knowing why it's important. So what's the elevator pitch -- you know, a good sentence or two? I know we're unnecessarily ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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Open Mouth, Insert Soot
On fireplace inserts |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Feb 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Our fireplace is terribly drafty when we're not using it, and not very functional when we do. Despite the cheery blaze, most of the heat seems to go up the chimney. I tend to burn those "green" coffee logs since setting a real fire isn't worth the trouble. My question is: should I think about getting a high-efficiency insert, or a pellet stove, or is burning wood just bad? And are those coffee logs reall ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, green living (all these topics) |
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Re: Heat
On pellet stoves |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Feb 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am a policy analyst with Californians Against Waste, a recycling advocacy group. Just wondering why pellet stoves were not considered in your wood stove analysis. I have one and feel that overall they rate well compared to other heating options. Thanks, Scott Smithline Sacramento, Calif. Dearest Scott, Omitting pellet stoves from my analysis was just a plain old oversight. Only honesty between us, my friends. Let's talk about pe ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, green living (all these topics) |
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You Were Always Cozy Like That
On insulation |
Umbra Fisk |
31 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I recently discovered that our attic is not insulated. While I live in the fairly warm climate of San Diego, we've been hit by a cold spell the last few weeks and I've cranked on the heater. I'd really like to insulate my home and was wondering what is the most planet-friendly method of doing so. I know it is good to reduce energy output, but I've heard that the insulation itself is not so environmentally friendly ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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Honeysuckle Prose
On burning yard waste |
Umbra Fisk |
24 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Your recent column seemed to be discussing mostly the burning of trash. What about yard waste? Each year I pull out tons of non-native and invasive honeysuckle. There is far too much to take to a landfill, and it would take years to rot down if left in some kind of compost pile. I know the burn gives off some CO2, but I honestly don't know what else I can do. Does your "prohibition" extend equally to this kin ... |
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| Topics: advice, air pollution, Ask Umbra, green living, waste (all these topics) |
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Logging On
On which wood to burn |
Umbra Fisk |
17 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I live in Maine, land of many loggers. My home is heated by an oil furnace, and I try to keep the temps down with thermostat timers to use as little oil as possible. I supplement my heat with a wood stove, as many Mainers do, and in my travels I have noticed a big variation in how much smoke is coming through chimneys and stovepipes. Is there a better type of seasoned wood to burn as far as reducing pollutants? Wendy H. Free ... |
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| Topics: advice, air pollution, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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From Pad to Worse
On that time of the month, again |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, You mentioned in "Kid Commando" that the "disposable vs. reusable diaper fight is in a stalemate for the foreseeable future." Is the same true for sanitary napkins? Clara Yuan Ithaca, N.Y. Dearest Clara, I haven't heard tell of the debate, frankly. I certainly get several "which is better" diaper questions a month, but yours is the first on sanitary napkins in quite a while. Pe ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, health (all these topics) |
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Everything Auld is New Again
On New Year's resolutions |
Umbra Fisk |
03 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Readers, Happy New Year! Welcome to 2007. Who knows what it will hold for us all. I hope you have a few parts of your year planned and have resolved to leave the rest up to chance, fate, and short-term impulses. As has become my tradition, I shall start the year with a few resolutions of my own. I just revisited my 2006 Grist resolution, which -- as part of a strange condom-related commentary on reduci ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday (all these topics) |
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Wrapper's Delight
On wrapping creatively |
Umbra Fisk |
18 Dec 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Due to my procrastinating nature, I once again find myself in the position of having to wrap what seems like hundreds of gifts in wasteful wrapping paper, only to have it torn apart and thrown away the very next day. I'm a proponent of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" philosophy, but during the holidays, wrapping my gifts in the Sunday comics doesn't say "mindful conservationist" so much as it says &q ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday, recycling (all these topics) |
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Presents of Mind
On holiday gifts for young folk |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Dec 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've read Grist's gift guide, but I didn't see very many ideas for youths and young children. On the other hand, I did like the idea of giving The Lorax, which was mentioned in one of your other responses. Do you have any other eco-friendly gift suggestions for my nieces and nephews for this Christmas? I want to encourage them to appreciate our natural environment, and besides, I figured it couldn't hurt if t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday (all these topics) |
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At Bat
On eco-tips in event programs |
Umbra Fisk |
11 Dec 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My bat mitzvah is coming up, and at my synagogue, we give out programs. This year, in my program, I would like to include some tips to lead a more eco-friendly life (when to turn off lights, etc.). Will you please help me with these ideas? Talia Minnetonka, Minn. Dearest Talia, Mazel tov! You probably have seen some Top Ten lists of best actions for the environment, and if you haven't, take a look at my Top Ten review an ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, religion and spirituality (all these topics) |
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Minding the Gap
On weather-stripping |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, With rising heating costs on the horizon, we're looking to install a storm door, seal gaps, etc., around the house to prevent air leaks and increase efficiency before old man winter arrives. What are some good resources (how-to's, sustainable product suppliers, etc.) for the job? Scott Roswell, Ga. Dearest Scott, Hi-dee-ho, dee-ho, to the hardware store we go. To choose vinyl or metal, adhesive or nails, That will pro ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, green products (all these topics) |
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Pest Control
On environmental busybodies |
Umbra Fisk |
15 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, A friend recently said I should "walk the talk" by replacing my synthetic clothes (purchased before I saw the environmental light, as it were) with new things made entirely of organically grown fibers. I thought about this, and it seems wasteful to get rid of clothes that still fit and look nice, just to buy new clothes that I don't really need. What to do? Arvella Georgetown, Texas Dearest Arvella, Where d ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, fashion, green living (all these topics) |
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A Mug's Life
On travel mugs |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am putting together a fundraiser for the Environmental Law Association at the George Washington University Law School, whereby I intend to sell coffee mugs. If you saw all the paper cups that get thrown away at my school you would be in tears (at least two trips to Starbucks a day: double cups and a hand cozy ... scary). My question is, should I get plastic (I know you hate plastic), metal (almost all metal coffee mugs have some ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products (all these topics) |
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Chilly Screens of Winter
On inefficient windows |
Umbra Fisk |
08 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am lucky enough to have a home I really love and food to feed my family and my pets. However, the home has one major energy flaw: it is older and has huge, single-pane window/walls with aluminum frames, in two adjoining rooms. We currently are not able to replace them, and they lose heat rapidly. With this winter being a bit colder, is there anything that you can suggest we do, other than the window upgrades ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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A View to a Sill
On window manufacturers |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We are looking into replacing some of our windows. Any thoughts on which companies are more environmentally friendly, not just in the energy-efficiency of their windows, but in the manufacturing process (Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, recycling materials, etc.)? Lyell Slade Concord, Mass. Dearest Lyell, Let's warm up on this topic: Windows in residential buildings are responsible for about 2 percent of th ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, green products (all these topics) |
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Waxing Philosophical
On dripless candles |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Nov 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My family is a big fan of dripless candles. They're beautiful and don't provide piles of wax that tempt fingers into creating little messes. Can you tell us how these candles work and if they are environmentally "safe"? Anna Ruth New York, N.Y. Dearest Anna, For me, playing with melted wax was a cherished childhood tradition -- right up there with daring to slice through the flame with my finger. But like s ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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You Down With PVC?
On PVC substitutes |
Umbra Fisk |
25 Oct 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I know to avoid PVC, but it's difficult to know all the places it lurks. Is all vinyl PVC, or are there PVC-free vinyls? What options are there for waterproof but PVC-free materials (I have children who wet the bed and spill, and I would like to protect my mattresses and wood table)? I have tried asking merchants whether certain products contain PVC, but they are clueless. Why can't PVC be clearly marked? And are there a ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, toxics (all these topics) |
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The Roach Approach
On battling cockroaches |
Umbra Fisk |
23 Oct 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Help! I'm having a mysterious cockroach problem. I found four in my apartment in two weeks, and not in the expected places: one in a stack of papers (I know, I should pay my bills faster), one near my vitamin bottles, one nowhere near water in my bathroom, and, the worst one, crawling along the arm of my couch (while I was sitting on the couch). I don't like to spray them with chemicals, but these things freak me ou ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, wildlife (all these topics) |
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