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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Your Ask Is Grass
On lawn mowers |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Jul 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, OK, I hate lawns. But for a number of reasons, I have to move into a town where lawns are the law, and mowing a necessity. Can you give me the scoop on the most eco-friendly lawnmower that will still cut decently? (No, I can't have goats.) My old reel lawnmower never did a decent job, and I doubt I could talk the rest of the family into it. That leaves, as far as I know: electric (corded and cordless), solar, and (gasp) gas. ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Get a Load of This
On washing machines |
Umbra Fisk |
11 Jul 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have a top-loading washing machine that's nine years old. I've heard that front-loading machines are a lot more efficient and use less detergent, so I'm thinking about taking the plunge, even though my old machine works fine. How much less water do the front-loading machines use, and why? And is it true that they use less detergent? (I just switched to an environmentally friendly detergent, but boy, is it expensive -- ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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Hirsute Yourself
On shaving, part two |
Umbra Fisk |
22 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I just read your response about men's shaving, but what about women? I don't see many women shaving with straight razors, plus we have the depilatory cream and waxing options too. What's our best option, especially for those of us who just hate dealing with it, but must? Catherine Appleton, Wis. Dearest Catherine, Although I pledged to avoid the widget this year, I am failing -- for the widget's size belies its magnetic ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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The Fashion of the Grist
On eco-conscious fashion |
Umbra Fisk |
20 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I need some new clothes! But besides shopping consignment and used clothing shops and hunting through labels looking for "Made in USA" tags, are there online sources of organic- or sustainable-fabric clothes that are guaranteed sweatshop-free? I would not mind investing in some decent duds that look nice and last. Lorna Vogt Salt Lake City, Utah Dearest Lorna, Yes! I'm going to mention a few, and I ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, fashion, green living (all these topics) |
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Group Think
On joining your first environmental organization |
Umbra Fisk |
15 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am new to the environmental world, and looking for ways to help and organizations to join. It took me a while to find Greenpeace. I am wondering what other organizations are out there, and my friends (and I'm sure other Grist readers) would also like to know. Ayla Pinus elliottii var. densa Naples, Fla. Dearest Ms. Slash Pine, Happily, this is a difficult question to answer, because there are so ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra (all these topics) |
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What, a Way to Make a Living?
On finding the right green job |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am in the midst of getting my master's in environmental science and policy. I am so sick of reading and researching -- I just want to get out and do something. My thesis is on composting (of industrial and municipal wastes), but my true love is water. While I have a pretty good background in everything from chemistry to physics, I see myself as the "master of none." Essentially, what I ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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String Theory
On clotheslines |
Umbra Fisk |
08 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We would like to install a clothesline this summer to take advantage of the few months of sun that we get here in Oregon. Any advice on the best kind, and how to keep air-dried clothes from feeling like cardboard? German Whitley Philomath, Ore. Dearest German, Excellent. If your power supplier is, as I suspect, Consumers Power Inc. in Philomath, you are paying about 7 cents per kilowatt-hour; their handy electricity calculator ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, fashion, green living (all these topics) |
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Stubble Trouble
On shaving |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Every morning when I shave, I stare in the mirror and wonder if my razor is the best choice for the environment. I realize the easy answer is to let the beard grow. Except the problem is, lots of today's environmentalists are quietly waging their struggles in modern offices, where beards do not sit well with the management. And besides the risk of my boss telling me I look unprofessional, a beard is a surefire way to guarantee that ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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We Won't Emit Defeat
On reducing emissions, one person at a time |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Jun 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I want to adopt the Kyoto treaty myself and adjust my lifestyle accordingly. No waiting, and to hell with George Bush! If my nation had adopted it, I'd have to be doing it anyway. So what is my per-capita fossil-fuel ration for the next 10 years, how do I measure it, how do I account for indirect consumption, etc.? Please advise. Thanks! Hans Noeldner Oregon, Wis. Dearest Hans, Good for you. T ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, green living, greenhouse-gas emissions (all these topics) |
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The Drain Brain
On unclogging without chemicals |
Umbra Fisk |
25 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, How does one unclog a clogged bathtub drain without pouring toxic chemicals directly into the waste stream? Allie Cat Boiling Springs, Penn. Dearest Allie Cat, I don't believe that's your real name. But yours is a noble question. Let's get motivated by reviewing a Drano material safety data sheet [PDF], where we find that the product has a hazard rating of "high," that "mixing with other cleanin ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green cleaning, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Jug or Not
On the perennial packaging dilemma |
Umbra Fisk |
23 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I was recently elected the social chairperson of my subdivision's swim/tennis/social club. Now I'm in charge of party planning for a group of about 150 families. While shopping at Costco, I wondered which is better for the environment: several 128-ounce jugs of apple juice plus many plastic cups, or lots of 6.75-ounce juice boxes that would equal the same juice volume, or the equivalent in 10-ounce plastic bottle ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living, local food, organic food, waste (all these topics) |
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Parks and Ride
On whether to visit national parks |
Umbra Fisk |
18 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We are considering a driving vacation this summer with the intent of visiting as many of America's wonderful national parks as we can -- both to enjoy them and to add some money to their coffers, which have been depleted in recent years. But as we all know, burning up lots of gasoline is bad for the environment. My question is: would it be a better environmental choice to drive around and support the national ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, cars, national parks, placemaking, public transportation (all these topics) |
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Epistled Off
On letter-writing campaigns |
Umbra Fisk |
16 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I just switched to all-natural cleaning products (Seventh Generation, it's great!) and I wanted my switch to have the most impact possible. I was thinking about sending emails to the companies whose cleaning products I had previously used, telling them why I switched, describing the nasty effects of their products, and encouraging them to change their products to be earth-friendly. I also thought I would send this ema ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, business, grassroots activism, green living, green products, toxics (all these topics) |
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Quiz Show
On Umbra's smarty-pants readers |
Umbra Fisk |
11 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Readers, Today I will explain the answers to the recent climate-change quiz. First, a confession: I was trying to make you fail. Not because I'm mean, just because I wanted to prove a point to my editor, who claimed you knew lots about this topic. To see if that was true, I wrote some veeeerrry tricky questions. Trickier than Bill Clinton's definition of what "is" is. Most of you did well in the face of m ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate (all these topics) |
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Just the Facts, Ma'am
On winning environmental arguments |
Umbra Fisk |
09 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've recently been debating my cousin about the merits of environmentalism, and he consistently attacks my positions by claiming that the studies that make the case that the environment is in trouble are funded by groups that have a vested interest in maintaining that position. In other words, groups that are devoted to environmental protection stand to benefit from people believing that the environmen ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, United Nations, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Gray Water's Anatomy
On channeling gray water to the garden |
Umbra Fisk |
04 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, As part of my water-conservation strategy, I'd like to reuse the rinse water from my laundry machine to water the native plants, many of them edible, in my yard. I've heard concerns about the soap (biodegradable) damaging the plants. There are also potentially some regulatory hurdles involved. Can you shed some light on this? Thanks, Wendy Gray All the Way Seattle, Wash. Dearest Gray All the Way, ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living (all these topics) |
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This Mortal Soil
On mulch |
Umbra Fisk |
02 May 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Spring is upon us and the season for spreading shredded bits of trees around our landscaping is here. How does Umbra feel about the utility of mulching, and what is the environmental impact of mulch production? Omar Ellicott City, Md. Dearest Omar, Umbra feels excited about spring, I'll tell you that much. Umbra is jumping up and down with glee, sometimes on top of slugs. Umbra is very pro-mulch, and very happy to choose mulch ques ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening (all these topics) |
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A Vroom of One's Own
On whether to eco-retrofit an old car |
Umbra Fisk |
28 Apr 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| My husband is an environmentalist. He wants one of the new alternative-fuel cars, but I have a dream to surprise him for his birthday with a 1970 muscle car (a Malibu or something like that) from his youth, which I would retrofit with a biodiesel or natural-gas engine. My questions are: 1. Should I put in a biodiesel engine or a natural-gas engine? 2. Who can do this for me in California (preferably the Bay Area ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, biofuels, cars (all these topics) |
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Let's Get Quizzical
On the climate-change literacy of Umbra readers |
Umbra Fisk |
21 Apr 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Readers, Happy Earth Day. I have mixed feelings as I look forward to the planet's special holiday tomorrow. Happiness on the occasion of anniversaries: Grist (six years), me at Grist (three years), Earth Day (35 years). Sadness, for this column shall be my last edited by my august editor, and we are having an argument. We disagree about the climate-change literacy of Umbra readers, and we mus ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate (all these topics) |
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Half-Life Is Beautiful?
On nuclear energy |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Apr 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, What are your thoughts on the reconsidering of nuclear power as a viable solution for helping with energy shortages and improving environmental conditions? I was shocked to hear a "scientist" say (in a "no duh," matter-of-fact type of way) that nuclear power is far cheaper and cleaner than our current coal- and oil-based energy system. He even talked about how much radiation is leaked when burning ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, nuclear power (all these topics) |
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As the World Learns
On getting up to speed on enviro issues |
Umbra Fisk |
04 Apr 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am new to the environmental movement, and I was wondering how you keep track of the major issues within it, because there are so many! Also, do you have any books to recommend on the history of the environmental movement? Naomi Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Dearest Naomi, Grist, of course! In addition to the website, you can get smart, pithy, funny summaries of breaking environmental news de ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, environmental movement (all these topics) |
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Fisk Tested, Mother Approved
On conserving water |
Umbra Fisk |
31 Mar 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Twenty years ago, I lived off the grid and learned how to conserve water. That lesson stayed with me, and it's agonizing for me to witness the cavalier, wasteful treatment of precious freshwater. My elderly mother moved in with me two years ago, and all is lovely and fine, except that she wastes more water with basic household activities than any single individual I've ever seen. Do you have any suggestions on ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, waste (all these topics) |
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A Tragedy of Manners
On talking about environmentalism without being preachy |
Umbra Fisk |
24 Mar 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Since you're the closest thing to Miss Manners that the environmental community has, I'd like to ask for your etiquette advice. I was recently on vacation with some friends and friends of friends and was disturbed by the lack of environmental awareness. For example: the 30-mile round-trips to get a takeout latte. Really. We were -- relatively speaking -- in the middle of nowhere, bu ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education (all these topics) |
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Surely You Gestate
On having kids, revisited |
Umbra Fisk |
21 Mar 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, What do you feel is the one issue of personal responsibility regarding the environment that people ignore the most? Vaughn Jackson, Tenn. Dearest Vaughn, Reproduction. But what can you do? As I said the other time I touched this topic with a 10-foot pole, we don't make childbearing choices based on politics. If we don't want kids, we bolster that decision by patting ourselves on our environmentally aware backs. I ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, parenting, population (all these topics) |
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Veggie Tailpipes
On converting your car to straight veggie oil |
Umbra Fisk |
17 Mar 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, A few years ago, I bought a Prius because it was (and still is, unfortunately) the best car that's offered in our messed-up world. I'm now going to buy an old diesel Mercedes and convert it to run on used vegetable oil. I think this might be the best way to go. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks! Jilli Tarzana, Calif. Dearest Jilli, I answered the main part of your question in my last column ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, biofuels, cars, placemaking (all these topics) |
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