Grist | Topics | 13 Results

RESULTS		Results 1 – 13 of 13
Headline	Author	Published	Section
Paving Grace On driveways	Umbra Fisk	01 Oct 2008	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, What is the most eco-friendly driveway material? Jean K. Newington, Conn. Dearest Jean, Other than "no driveway because no car," dunno. I can tell you all the characteristics possessed by a good eco-friendly driveway material, but no single material pulled ahead of the rest and parked itself in first place. Since I don't know what type of drive you have -- a long and winding road? A mere blip? -- a face-saving answer woul ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, green building, health, mercury, water pollution (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)

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)

Where Can a Guy Get a Drink Around Here? On freshwater	Umbra Fisk	31 Jan 2005	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, What percentage of the Earth's water is drinkable? What are the remaining percents in categories, such as salt water, polluted water (polluted with what?), and frozen water? And where can I find these statistics? Scott Bozeman, Mont. Dearest Scott, About 70 percent of the Earth's surface is constantly wet. Of all that water, only 2.5 percent, or 8.4 million cubic miles, is not salty. Quite a bit of the ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, water pollution (all these topics)

Unholy Cow On leather upholstery	Umbra Fisk	20 Jan 2005	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, It seems everyone is getting leather upholstery in their cars and on their couches these days. Where is it coming from -- the same cows that are being slaughtered for hamburgers, or special cows that are raised for their hides? What is the environmental impact of all this luxurious leather? Sharon Collegeville, Penn. Dearest Sharon, Hides are a byproduct of food-related animal processing. Cattle are large, expensive animals, ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living, water pollution (all these topics)

Mind the Tap On lead pipes and drinking water	Umbra Fisk	18 Oct 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I live in New York City, which is reputed to have some of the best drinking water in the U.S. But I also happen to live in an old building that probably has lead pipes, so I buy Poland Spring water in five-gallon jugs each month. I'd prefer to drink tap water, but I don't know how to find out whether my building's water is polluted or not. How do I go about this? If it does have lead (etc.), what are the most aff ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, toxics, water pollution (all these topics)

Urine Luck! On peeing al fresco	Umbra Fisk	30 Apr 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, If I am going to pee outside, is it more environmentally sound to squat in the back yard where the pee salinates the soil, or next to the road where the liquid runoff can enter sewers, or in the woods where there are no ornamental plantings to disturb, but there might be snakes? Cop-a-squattingly yours, Sarah M. Howeville, Vt. Dearest Sarah, I strongly suspect that this question may be some type of prank, but our motto her ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, water pollution (all these topics)

Compostmodern On composting toilets	Umbra Fisk	30 Apr 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I grew up in a house built in 1812. Until 1962, we still used an outhouse that was built with the house. My mother said that when she was a girl (in the 1920s), a man used to come around and clean it out each year, but it was never done in my memory. The seats were built about 10 feet over the debris and it never seemed to fill up. We did put lime (the kind you buy for your garden) in it. Some people now use outhouses wher ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, waste, water pollution (all these topics)

'Til Cruise Do Us Part On cruises	Umbra Fisk	06 Feb 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My husband, though a very warmhearted man, does not follow the environmental tides quite as much as I do. He would desperately like to take a cruise for our second honeymoon. I know cruise ships dump waste in the oceans and are not good for the ecosystem in general, but could you tell me which cruise lines are the most environmentally conscious? In the spirit of compromise, I have agreed to go, but would like to make the ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, oceans, travel, waste, water pollution (all these topics)

Quid Pro Snow On snowy sidewalks	Umbra Fisk	10 Dec 2002	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Being a new homeowner, I've realized the responsibility of keeping the sidewalk slip-proof during the winter months. Of course, shoveling will be the first line of defense, but that never seems to do the trick, often leaving that thin layer of slippery snow. And then there is the ice. I know that salt and sand can be fairly nasty to local rivers and streams (not to mention the white stains on my floors). So what are the best ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, water pollution (all these topics)

Bad Medicine On flushing medications	Umbra Fisk	21 Jun 2002	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I work with a number of older women who try to be environmentally conscientious. When it comes to discarding outdated medications though, there seems to be conflicting advice. Medical doctors tell me that all such medicines should be flushed down the toilet. Water resource people say, don't flush, because all those discarded medicines are seeping into groundwater. Sigh. What are we to do? Jonell Cadman Dearest Jonell, The ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, health, solid waste treatment and disposal, toxics, water pollution (all these topics)

No Farm, No Foul On farmed fish	Umbra Fisk	23 Apr 2002	Ask Umbra
I have a friend who is a homeopathic. She told me that I should stop eating pen-raised salmon because they are fed a lot of antibiotics. I was very disappointed because I thought I was eating a safe product. I don't know how to get more info about this, but if you guys know anything about it, I'm sure a lot of us would appreciate it. Claudia Dearest Claudia, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that your question is ...
Topics: advice, aquaculture, Ask Umbra, fishing, food, food and agriculture, water pollution (all these topics)

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