 Stories About: waste
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Slum Like It Not
In the world's slums, the worst of poverty and environmental degradation collide |
Mike Davis |
29 Mar 2006 |
Main Dish |
| This article was originally published in OrionOnline. Precarious dwellings in North Sulawasi, Indonesia. Photos: iStockphoto. A villa miseria outside Buenos Aires, Argentina, may have the worst feng shui in the world: it is built in a flood zone over a former lake, a toxic dump, and a cemetery. Then there's the barrio perched precariously on stilts over the excrement-clogge ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, placemaking, politics, population, Poverty and the Environment, sprawl, toxics, waste (all these topics) |
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Goshutes, nukes, poverty, and the environment
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Lisa Hymas |
14 Mar 2006 |
Gristmill |
| Here's a perfect illustration of the ugly intersection of poverty and environmental degradation: the fight over whether the Goshute tribe of Utah should be able to use its reservation as a holding site for highly radioactive waste from nuclear power plants around the country. Time's Margot Roosevelt describes the tribe's stark, denuded homeland: To the southwest lies the Dugway Proving Ground, where the U.S. government develops chemical and biological weapons. To the e ... |
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| Topics: nuclear power, toxics, Utah, waste (all these topics) |
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SWOP and Go
Tomasita González, environmental-justice organizer, answers readers' questions |
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10 Mar 2006 |
InterActivist |
| Tomasita González, of SouthWest Organizing Project. Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and probably other cities and towns in New Mexico, are seeing lots of development of housing for new residents. What are the environmental implications? How seriously is the water supply strained? Are underprivileged or minority communities affected? -- Mark Stephen Caponigro, New York, N.Y. Thanks for the question ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, InterActivist, interview, New Mexico, politics, Poverty and the Environment, waste, water conflicts (all these topics) |
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How do you define "environmentalism"?
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Chris Schults |
07 Mar 2006 |
Gristmill |
| Dave's environmental ethics post addressed an issue that has become more and more apparent here in Gristmill: the term 'environmentalism' means something different to each one of us. This is exemplified in today's Soapbox by Oliver Bernstein on environmental issues along the U.S.-Mexico border: Laguna La Escondida in Reynosa, Mexico, a water source for the surrounding community whose name means Hidden Lagoon, is also an important migratory bird stopover point. Re ... |
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| Topics: Mexico, Texas, waste, water pollution, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Walking the Line
What Mexican activists can teach the U.S. about poverty and the planet |
Oliver Bernstein |
07 Mar 2006 |
Soapbox |
| As the border organizer for Sierra Club's Environmental Justice program, I bounce back and forth across the U.S.-Mexico border supporting grassroots environmental activists. More than the food, language, or currency, the biggest difference from one side to the other is what issues are considered "environmental." Perhaps nowhere else on earth is there such a long borde ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, health, Mexico, politics, population, Poverty and the Environment, Sierra Club, sprawl, United States, waste, water conflicts (all these topics) |
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González in 60 Seconds
Tomasita González, environmental-justice organizer, answers Grist's questions |
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06 Mar 2006 |
InterActivist |
| Tomasita González. What work do you do? I work as a community organizer at SouthWest Organizing Project, based in Albuquerque, N.M. What does your organization do? For over a quarter century, SWOP has worked to build an environmental-justice movement in disenfranchised, working, and people-of-color communities. In the '90s, we sought to challenge the mainstream "Group of Ten" ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, InterActivist, interview, New Mexico, politics, Poverty and the Environment, waste, water conflicts (all these topics) |
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Rumblings in the Bronx
A virtual walking tour of the South Bronx with Omar Freilla of Green Worker Cooperatives |
Mary Wiltenburg |
27 Feb 2006 |
Main Dish |
| Click image to take the tour. Photo by Mary Wiltenburg. New York's South Bronx was once a getaway for the rich; now the defining landmarks of the community are power plants, landfills, and parking lots. Where some might see hopelessness, though, resident Omar Freilla sees opportunity. Freilla founded Green Work ... |
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| Topics: consumerism, environmental justice, grassroots activism, heroes, New York, Poverty and the Environment, toxics, waste (all these topics) |
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Walk This Way
A virtual walking tour of Columbia, Miss., with Charlotte Keys of Jesus People Against Pollution |
Mary Wiltenburg |
13 Feb 2006 |
Main Dish |
| Click image to take the tour. Photo by Mary Wiltenburg. In 1977, a factory in Columbia, Miss., that had been manufacturing Agent Orange was rocked by an explosion. The owner, Reichhold Chemical Inc., shuttered the facility and abandoned or buried thousands of barrels of toxic waste near the water supply of the pr ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, Mississippi, Poverty and the Environment, religion and spirituality, waste, water pollution (all these topics) |
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GarbageScout
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Chris Schults |
06 Feb 2006 |
Gristmill |
| Freegans and Freecycle fans might enjoy the latest Google mashup: GarbageScout. Think Google maps, mobile phones, and free stuff in the garbage. Here's the skinny: New York City's streets are full of interesting and potentially useful things that have been thrown out.If you see something good, snap a picture of it with your camera phone, and email it to GarbageScout. It will go up on the home page and others can go and get it.This will reduce landfill, save peopl ... |
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| Topics: New York City, waste, websites (all these topics) |
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Cutting the Cord
On cell phones vs. land lines |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, In this day and age, when many people seem to be getting rid of their "land lines" in favor of cell phones, I find myself wondering how these two options stack up against one another from an environmental-impact perspective. Doug Quirk Eugene, Ore. Dearest Doug, I have a fairly strong anti-cell-phone bias. I am a cranky lady who believes they are eroding public manners and encouraging various irrespon ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living (all these topics) |
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Good Nintentions
On video games |
Umbra Fisk |
25 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, After reading some heart-rending, gut-wrenching articles on global warming, I've decided that I want to do something about it. I've started by vowing never to buy a car, or get a driver's license. But I happen to love video games. Nothing is going to make me stop playing my video games. As I am painfully aware, a consumer lifestyle is what contributes to global warming and the ecocide of our planet, so how can I be an environm ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living, toxics, video games (all these topics) |
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Laptop Dance
On choosing a laptop |
Umbra Fisk |
18 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am buying a new laptop, and I was wondering if all computers are the same energy-wise, or if some brands are better for the environment? Aviva Horrow Philadelphia, Pa. Dearest Aviva, You're already off to a good start, as laptops consume far less energy than desktop machines -- we're talking over 50 percent less. Thin is in. Photo: iStockPhoto. Computer manufacturers have three opportunities to earn their environmental s ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living, recycling, toxics (all these topics) |
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Party In My Pants
Reuseable menstrual pads are P.I.M.P.-in' |
Sarah K. Burkhalter |
02 Jan 2006 |
Gristmill |
| Squeamish boys should read no further. Sorry, fellas, it's not that kind of party. As Umbra has pointed out, a lady's monthly menses doesn't have to be an environmental catastrophe (emotional catastrophe is another matter). Instead, it can be a party! It can be a Party in My Pants! It can be PIMPin', though in this case Jay-Z-style Big PIMPin' might be less than desirable. Enthusiastic Grist reader Elka alerted us to this undercover fashion statement, pondering, ... |
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| Topics: health, waste (all these topics) |
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Pad Influence
On composting feminine products |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, OK, the kitty-litter thing pushed me over the edge. I know you are sick of writing about gross, yucky things, but I had to ask: if kitty litter is compostable, what about biodegradable maxipads and tampons? One of the leading natural feminine-care brands touts their stuff as being biodegradable and compostable. Can this actually be possible? Liz Schlegel Waterbury, Vt. Dearest Liz, I'm not sick of writing about ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, waste (all these topics) |
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You're Only Humanure
On composting toilets, again |
Umbra Fisk |
21 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm attempting to "green" my home, room by room. I've heard of low-flow toilets, but someone just told me about composting toilets. Do they smell bad? Will my grandmother use it or ask for an outhouse? Thanks for your wisdom! Moira Providence, R.I. Dearest Moira, Excellent, manageable room-by-room plan. What in tarnation?! Composting toilets are basically the technology we should have adopted inst ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, solid waste treatment and disposal, waste (all these topics) |
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Litter Bugged
On kitty litter |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Sep 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I recently adopted a cat, and I am having a hard time deciding what to do with the kitty litter. Is there some kind of green litter that is best to use? Anything flushable and sewage-tank friendly? Or, can I compost the litter -- and what should I use to cover it up with? Kate Graves Nashville, Tenn. Dearest Kate, Just as our eco-children can be diaper-free, it appears our cats can be litter-free. Teach your cat to use the toil ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living, waste (all these topics) |
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Leave no trace. Seriously, don't.
Mountaineering teams organize to clean up the world's highest mountain peaks |
Todd Hymas Samkara |
22 Sep 2005 |
Gristmill |
| A few months ago, gutsy French test pilot Didier Delsalle landed a helicopter on top of Mount Everest in 75 mph hour winds -- no, not crashed -- quite obviously the highest landing place on earth. He was the first to successfully summit Everest by copter. And just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, he did it twice. The previous highest helicopter landing was some 9,035 feet lower, at about 20,000 feet, the record set in 1996 by Nepalese pilot Madan Khatri Chhetri ... |
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| Topics: Nepal, sports, waste (all these topics) |
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Waste not, want more?
Wired profiles companies striving for zero waste |
Chris Schults |
12 Aug 2005 |
Gristmill |
| Here in Gristmill, we like to present companies and their eco-friendly practices to see if they should be praised for their efforts. Today I give you: Subaru, Cascade Engineering, HP, Xerox, Toyota, Fetzer Vineyards, and Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings. What do these companies have in common, you might be asking? One, they are all mentioned in the Wired article that I'm writing about. Two, and more importantly, they are all actively reducing waste in some fashion. ... |
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| Topics: business, waste (all these topics) |
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IBM Me Up, Scotty
On computer recycling |
Umbra Fisk |
08 Aug 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Do you have any suggestions for locating a computer-recycling service in the Piedmont area of North Carolina? Janet Fortune Dearest Janet, Frankly, I couldn't even have located the Piedmont area of North Carolina before you wrote. With today's technology, however, such ignorance is no barrier to giving advice. The rest of you, listen up, because Janet's question will be your question some day. Electronic waste is a big ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living, North Carolina, recycling, toxics (all these topics) |
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Ya want paper or corn?
Turning corn into plastic |
Corey McKrill |
28 Jun 2005 |
Gristmill |
| Apparently, we've figured out how to turn corn into plastic. Following some similar lines to the discussion raging in the Bad Idea post, this brings up some interesting issues surrounding the future of agriculture in the U.S. As the article mentions, the Energy Department wants to convert 25 percent of chemical manufacturing to an agricultural base by 2030. So if a lot of our farmland begins producing crops for manufacturing (and biofuels) instead of consumable food ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, waste (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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Don't get Glad, get even
New ads give recycling a smackdown |
Katharine Wroth |
17 May 2005 |
Gristmill |
| OK, I was watching bad TV last night, and this ad came on for Glad ForceFlex trash bags. Apparently these are very exciting trash bags because they stretch, which makes them better for bulky items. Such as, according to this chipper ad: cardboard boxes and two-liter soda bottles. Glad! Have you heard of a little thing called recycling? I know your success depends on people not recycling. But do you have to be such wankers about it? (In fairness, I should note that t ... |
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| Topics: recycling, waste (all these topics) |
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A league of their own
Now your $9 ballpark beer comes in an eco-cup |
Katharine Wroth |
10 May 2005 |
Gristmill |
| It's a single piece of news, but a revolution in its own right: starting Friday, the Oakland A's will serve drinks in compostable cornstarch cups, and provide compostable cutlery too. McAfee Coliseum staffers will dig the items out of the trash at the end of each game -- pausing only briefly to wonder if they should have taken that internship with Dad's friend's company instead -- and ship the whole beery, mustardy mess to a composting facility. It's all part of sta ... |
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| Topics: food, sports, waste (all these topics) |
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Will & Disgrace
Louisiana environmental advocate forced out of job by state attorney general |
Amanda Griscom Little |
28 Apr 2005 |
Muckraker |
| Willie Fontenot (center) surrounded by ExxonMobil security guards. Photo: Stephen C. Kowal. After scoping out an ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge last month, Willie Fontenot, a community liaison officer for the Louisiana attorney general's office for 27 years, found himself faced with the option of forced retirement or getting the boot. A longtime environment ... |
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| Topics: energy, environmental justice, health, Louisiana, Muckraker, oil, politics, toxics, waste (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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