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RESULTS		Results 76 – 100 of 501
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Headline	Author	Published	Section
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)

The Innkeeper's Strife On green hotels	Umbra Fisk	14 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, My husband and I are Americans who own a small budget hotel in Rome, Italy. We try to be as eco-friendly as possible: our cafe is local, organic, and vegetarian, we use compact fluorescent bulbs where we can (although cannot find an alternative for the halogen lighting systems we have), we use eco-friendly cleaning products, including the old standbys like vinegar and baking soda, we recycle and use all recycled paper p ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, energy efficiency, greening biz operations (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)

Strip Tease On power strips	Umbra Fisk	05 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Hi Umbra, Around the table at lunch today, my colleagues and I were discussing ways to conserve and be more energy efficient. We've all heard that "dormant" appliances still draw energy. We've all been told we should plug some of our electronics into a power strip that we can easily flip off when they are not in use. And, despite not really knowing the answer to my following questions, we all have done this in our respective homes. ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency (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)

Here Comes the Son On solar holiday lights	Umbra Fisk	29 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, As the holiday season approaches, I'm trying to figure out how to spread good cheer in home decorations while being sensitive to the environment. Years ago, my husband and I purchased strings of lights that we wrapped around the trunks of palm trees in our front yard. Now the wiser, I'd like to use these lights off the grid, if you will. Instead of purchasing new LED lights that are so popular right now (and in turn ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, holiday, solar voltaic power (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)

Jet vs. Vette On planes and cars	Umbra Fisk	17 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Hi Umbra, Which is less harmful to the environment when traveling long distances, flying or driving? A jet puts out a lot of exhaust, but since it carries a lot of people, maybe it's less than having everyone drive themselves? Craig Denver, Colo. Dearest Craig, Jeepers it was fun to find out the answer to this question for you -- the Math Whiz has joined me in the basement, and we are dorking out on carbon emissions on your behalf. Here ...
Topics: advice, air travel, Ask Umbra, cars, climate, greenhouse-gas emissions, travel (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, carbon offsets, climate, climate change mitigation (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)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green cleaning, health, shopping, toxics (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)

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 ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, greenhouse-gas emissions (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)

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, funnies (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, sustainable ag (all these topics)

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

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 ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home (all these topics)

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 ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, placemaking, sustainable ag (all these topics)

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