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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Pay Watch
On farmers' markets and food stamps |
Umbra Fisk |
19 Jun 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Do organic grocers take food stamps? Do farmers' markets? If not, what do ecologically/health-minded people on fixed incomes do? David Burch South Bend, Ind. Dearest David, Did you know that in many states food stamps are no longer stamps? Plastic cards similar to ATM cards have replaced the paper coupons. Electronic Benefit Transfer, it's called, and it's not dissimilar to a bank card with a finite, monthly re ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics) |
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Fan-tastic
On personal fans |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Jun 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, So the weather is turning hot again. I got my electric fans out of the closet. On the back of these, there are no indications of what amount of electricity they use. Could you illuminate which ones are most efficient? Howard Nelson Portland, Ore. Dearest Howard, Not really. Efficiency is very important for commercial ventilation, and even home ceiling fans and oven fans are given an Energy Star label, but I fear our lowly person ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency (all these topics) |
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Eau de Bulb
On smelly CFLs (and mercury too) |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Jun 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We have been replacing our incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, but we notice that the compact fluorescents have an odd smell. Are they emitting something we should know about? Compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury; can the bulbs discharge the mercury into the air? Tom Murphy Wellsboro, Pa. Dearest Tom, I don't know of anything that would be emitted from your bulbs and smell. If it is you ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, mercury, toxics (all these topics) |
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Switch Hitter
On CFLs and dimmers |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Jun 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Umbra, Are there compact fluorescent bulbs for lights on dimmer switches? Why can't I use regular CFLs in dimmers? Dimly, Julia L. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Dearest Julia, I feel like my brain is squinting when I try to understand electrical current and wiring, but here we go: the short answer is yes, there are now compact fluorescent lamps designed for lights on dimmer switches, and they're even made by big guys like GE and P ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Sit Parade
On couches |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Jun 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am in the market to buy a new couch (our current couch is older than me -- it's 27!). Is it better to buy a "green" couch, a couch from a mainstream vendor, or a used couch? If used is the way to go, do you have any suggestions for finding one that isn't disgusting? Nora Burton Seattle, Wash. Dearest Nora, Long have I waited for this moment, when I will at last learn the difference between a sofa and a couch. My dictionary ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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The Scheme of the Crop
On ethanol |
Umbra Fisk |
31 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm a little amazed by all the bandwagon-jumping going on over E85 ethanol. I wonder if a corn-based fuel can be sustainable over the long term, given the general risks of farming and the disappearance of American farms in the last 20 years. And doesn't anybody remember the great potato famine and the danger of relying on one crop? Before the unsuspecting public spends zillions of dollars buying into the idea of an ethanol-b ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, Big Ag, biofuels, food and agriculture (all these topics) |
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Oil She Wrote
On canola oil |
Umbra Fisk |
24 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I recently saw "organic canola oil" on a salad dressing bottle. I looked up the origin of canola oil, and it looks like it is a genetic modification of rapeseed. I thought organic certification disallowed genetically modified foods. What's the scoop? Tom Grundy Nevada City, Calif. Dearest Tom, Have you noticed yet that May is food month here on floor 2B? Food and plants, in honor of spring -- and to counter last month' ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, food and agriculture, GMOs, organic food (all these topics) |
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The Price Is Wrong
On the cost of organics |
Umbra Fisk |
22 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, How come it's so expensive to go organic? I could swing it by myself by eating a bare minimum of food, but I'm charged with feeding consume-mass-quantity types who favor the traditional American diet, and they eat meat. I would be in debt buying just half the monthly food consumption. One would have to be rich to go organic. MonikkaMarie Jackson Queen Village, N.Y. Dearest MonikkaMarie, The usual answer to your qu ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living, organic food (all these topics) |
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Weed 'Em and Reap
On composting weeds |
Umbra Fisk |
17 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've been weeding the garden and yard, and got to thinking about some of the more invasive plants. I've heard that not everything goes in the compost pile, but what weeds can I toss in? I'm fairly new to the composting game, so any advice is much appreciated. Danielle Walker Monroe, Ore. Dearest Danielle, Composting is the original and highest form of recycling. People frequently write in to ask what can go into their ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living (all these topics) |
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Deck Mate
On building a deck |
Umbra Fisk |
15 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, It's spring, my house turns 100 years old this year, and I would like to celebrate by adding a deck. But what type of building materials should I choose? Wood, plastic, or composite? In my market there is no ready supply of FSC-certified wood -- I would have to have it milled and shipped in from across the state. Besides, is that really better when you have to treat it every year? What about the new types of pressure-treated wood ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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You Can Count on You
On global warming and you |
Umbra Fisk |
10 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I love the scientific ins and outs, really I do, but what oh what can we do about global warming? And I mean us ordinary folks with a house and mortgage and some percentage point of kids and a few compact fluorescents and maybe even a hybrid in the driveway. We're right there with you, so please don't leave us hanging. Peter Kelley College Park, Md. Dearest Peter, Right. Sorry. I got frowny last month, and for ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, business, climate, energy, energy efficiency, green living, politics (all these topics) |
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In a Nutshell
On organic cashews |
Umbra Fisk |
08 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I work in a grocery store. Recently a customer refused to purchase our cashews because they weren't organic. Does it really matter if nuts are organic? Are they sprayed with chemicals during production? Did the customer have a point, or should she have sucked it up and bought our cashews? Brianna Farmington Hills, Mich. Dearest Brianna, I am shocked, shocked to find that the bland, chewy cashew is the most popular nut in th ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics) |
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And I Weed You Now Tonight
On herbicides and lawns |
Umbra Fisk |
03 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My husband just spread some very toxic weed-killer on our lawn, and I told him there must be a safer way to get rid of weeds. Our children and pets were not allowed on the lawn for 24 hours. We have a well and septic system, and I was wondering if that stuff would seep into our water supply. I also worried about the birds and other wildlife that visit our yard. Thanks for any help you can offer. Doreen Yor ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, toxics, wildlife (all these topics) |
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The 'Cide House Rules
On herbicides |
Umbra Fisk |
01 May 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, How do herbicides (organic, if such exist, or non-organic) work? David Burch South Bend, Ind. Dearest David, Herbicides are considered a subcategory of pesticides, for all you confused by my last pesticide comments. Herbicides kill plants with a vast array of ingenious torture and maiming techniques. (Maiming a plant isn't quite like maiming an animal: plants can grow back broken limbs, and it's hard to deny a plant its ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, toxics, wildlife (all these topics) |
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The Vapor Chase
On water vapor and climate change |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Coming from a scientific background, I was under the assumption that water vapor was the worst -- or you could say the best -- at causing global warming. Do you believe this to be false, and if not, why is no one talking about it? Erik Nash Dearest Erik, I've decided to use your letter as a continuation of B's from earlier this week. Spouting off on global warming. Photo: iStockphoto. Water vapor is a powerfu ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science (all these topics) |
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This Old Greenhouse
On the greenhouse effect |
Umbra Fisk |
24 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Man-made greenhouse gases are blamed for recent global-warming trends. But man-made greenhouse gases account for only 5 percent of the greenhouse effect. Water vapor, over which civilization has virtually no control, accounts for some 95 percent of that greenhouse effect. Why has so much attention been focused on man-made gases when they comprise such a relatively small part of the problem? B. Hawley Ottawa, Ont ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science, greenhouse-gas emissions (all these topics) |
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Apocalypse 101
A climate-change compendium |
Umbra Fisk |
19 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I know you don't make up questions, but in this instance I think it's acceptable. Could you suggest a collection of resources on climate change? I think it might help us all get better educated on this vital topic. Even if they don't spend an hour of their Earth Day sifting through the sites, it'll be good for readers to have for later reference -- you know, Clip-N-Save. (By the way, you've been awfully serious late ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science (all these topics) |
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Pack to the Future
On climate-induced relocation |
Umbra Fisk |
17 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Given that there is a possibility/probability that sea levels will rise significantly [due to climate change], and that some parts of the world may become too hot while others could become too cold, where in the world will things be relatively "safe"? If I start thinking about moving my family to another country, in which direction should we be looking? Michael Laird Belgium (below sea level!) Dear ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate (all these topics) |
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Breaking the Cycle
On climate-change patterns |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| While I am in no doubt about the effect of human activity on climate change, I have a friend who is convinced that even if we weren't destroying the earth, the earth's own weather patterns would be in global-warming stage anyway. How do we know the current climate change isn't just an inevitable part of millennia-long weather patterns? Will changing our behavior mean anything if we are all going to burn to a crisp anyway? Ad ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science (all these topics) |
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Lyin' Tamer
On global warming |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, The many articles on global warming conclude with something about the inherent complexity and uncertainty of the issue. So exactly what is the evidence for (and against) arguing that the current warming trend is inside the scope of normal fluctuations? What is the evidence for (and against) arguing that the trend is caused by human activities, and is not just part of a "natural cycle"? Is it true that the U.S. is just ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science (all these topics) |
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Talk This Way
On talking to friends about climate change |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I need a good stick-it-to-ya comeback to friends who, while they acknowledge global warming and hear me rattle off all that is bad about it, are liking the direct effects, which right now are sunnier and warmer days. What can I do or say to get them to snap back into reality, especially when some of these folks are addicted to tanning and the sun? Kate Semmens Perkiomenville, Pa. Dearest Kate, What a ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, green living (all these topics) |
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Comic Re-Leaf
On plants and global warming |
Umbra Fisk |
03 Apr 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My simple understanding of global warming is that we are introducing long-buried carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is shifting the balance, leading to a host of undesirable issues. CO2 is consumed by plants, so here's my thought: Could we grow crops that consume a lot of CO2 (I'm thinking bamboo here, which grows really quickly) and then bury them, effectively taking the CO2 they've consumed out of the atmosp ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, carbon sequestration, climate, deforestation (all these topics) |
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Bug Me Not
On organic pesticides |
Umbra Fisk |
29 Mar 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Recently, an article in my newspaper stated that federal and state guidelines allow the spraying of "organic pesticides" on organic crops. I thought organic crops were pesticide-free. I am very disappointed to find out that there are sanctioned "organic pesticides" which, with probably little to no independently researched information, may or may not pose a risk to my health. Tell me the paper got it wrong ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, toxics (all these topics) |
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Oceans Delve
On measuring ocean temperatures |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Mar 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've been hearing about rising ocean temperatures more and more. My question is, what are the criteria for measuring the temperature of the ocean? Wouldn't probe location, probe depth, water depth, prevailing current, time of day, and ambient temperature all potentially affect the result? Have the criteria remained constant for the recorded history? Douglas Seattle, Wash. Dearest Douglas, I became riveted with t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, oceans (all these topics) |
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Rambled Eggs
On free-range chickens and eggs |
Umbra Fisk |
22 Mar 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I just read your column on organic syrup, and you made a comment about the futileness of the phrase "free range." I always try to buy free-range eggs and, whenever possible, the same with chicken. Am I wasting my money? Jeff Pritts St. Louis, Mo. Dearest Jeff, Yes, basically. There is a chance that your egg purveyor uses "free range" in the way that you understand it, but the only way to tell ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture (all these topics) |
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