Eco-Friendly "Java Log" Aims for More of the Fake Firewood Market Ah, winter -- icicles on the eves, smoke rising from the chimneys, a crackling fire, and emerging from it, that fragrant, familiar smell of ... coffee? Yep, that's right: A Canadian company is marketing fake logs made of recycled coffee grounds. Other fake logs, made of everything from sawdust and paraffin to corn cobs and peach pits, have been on the market for 50-some years. But the Java Log burns brighter and hotter than sawdust logs and produces 88 percent less carbon monoxide than the real thing, according to …

Just off I-75 in Tennessee, halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, past a Home Depot, a Ford dealership, a Krispy Kreme, and a Piggly Wiggly supermarket, there is a newly developed tract of low-income homes built by volunteers of Habitat for Humanity. A bright idea: the Indrajaya-Kinandjar solar house. At first glance, nothing about the development seems out of the ordinary. The houses are pleasant one-story colonials with porches, shutters, and carefully trimmed lawns strewn with tricycles and kick balls. But upon closer inspection, the development turns out to be more than just another housing project in sprawling Middle America; it …

California's Timber Appetite Spells Trouble for World's Forests As California strives to protect its own forests, rising demand for wood in the state is fueling logging far afield, in Oregon, the southeastern U.S., Canada, and even Europe. According to a new report by the state Department of Forestry, California imports about 75 percent of its wood and paper products. The problem is that while Californians are making progress on forest conservation at home, they aren't cutting down their consumption. Dale Bosworth, chief of the U.S. Forest Service, pointed to this as a nationwide problem in a speech last month. "We …

Oil and Gas Supplies Will Peak in a Decade, Swedish Scientists Assert World oil and gas supplies will peak soon after 2010 and be in short supply thereafter, causing worldwide economic havoc unless societies have adopted alternatives to fossil fuels, Swedish scientists predict in a controversial article published today in New Scientist magazine. Other scientists have estimated that supplies might top out in 2050, but geologists at the University of Uppsala in Sweden say that forecast is off base because oil and gas supplies are 80 percent smaller than widely believed. If the Swedes are correct, one possible side effect …

Nettle Fabric Could Be Eco-Friendly Replacement for Cotton Fabric made from stinging nettles could be the next big thing in eco-friendly fashion. The process of growing nettles is much gentler on the Earth than growing cotton, which generally entails high use of water and pesticides. (Almost a quarter of the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton plants.) In contrast, nettles don't need much water or protection from pests, and they provide habitat for many insect species and small birds. While hemp and flax are also eco-friendly replacements for cotton, they produce rough fabric, whereas nettles, strangely enough, can be made …

California Passes Cutting-Edge E-Waste Law Consistent with its habit of pushing the environmental envelope, California has adopted the nation's most comprehensive law governing the manufacture and disposal of electronics. The law has three main purposes: to speed the recycling of discarded computers and televisions (some 6 million of which await disposal across the state); to ensure that future tech trash will be less toxic by forcing manufacturers to stop using lead, mercury, and other harmful materials; and to establish safety standards for dismantling computers in foreign countries. To fund the law, new high-tech products will be subject to a $6 …

Dear Umbra, I'm in the market for a new dishwasher, one that uses as little water and energy as possible and still gets that flatware sparklin' clean. But I don't have a lot of dough to blow on appliances. Any thoughts? DeanOrem, Utah Dearest Dean, I really can't say enough about Consumer Reports and its online archives of product reviews and ratings. The subscription is worth the $4.95 per month. An Energy Star-bellied dishwasher.Photo: U.S. DOE. I approached buying a dishwasher by cross-referencing the Consumer Reports recommendations with handy Energy Star ratings. Energy Star is a labeling project of the …

Dear Umbra, I am wondering about the most environmentally safe form of birth control. From what I understand, women's birth control pills put terrible amounts of hormones into the world's waters and cause genetic mutations in fish. On the other hand, constantly using and discarding plastic condoms, including the packaging these come in, does not seem like a great solution. Are there more options out there that would cause less harm to my body and the environment? Thanks, AdinaOak Park, Ill. Dearest Adina, Safety Pup would like to remind us all that birth control is not the only concern during …

On the fourth of July this year, I went underground -- under the Chihuahuan Desert, that is, and into the famous Carlsbad Caverns. Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico has been hosting tourists for the better part of a century, so it's got a lot of experience with showing itself off. The fabulous limestone decorations are subtly lit (a Hollywood lighting expert helped out with the placement of the bulbs), the paths are paved and protected by handrails, and large-capacity elevators whisk you up to the daylight. Carlsbad Caverns. Photo: NPS. It wasn't until a guide took a …

The beginning of the school year -- already a stressful time for kids and parents -- is often made even more difficult by all the purchasing pressure, from long lists of school supplies sent home by teachers to ads promoting fashionable new wardrobes for children. In 2003, Americans will spend $14.1 billion on back-to-school items, with $6.5 billion of that going towards clothes. Make sure the contents of that backpack are as green as its outside. In addition to the dent in parents' wallets, there are environmental and social costs to all this school-related spending. Long before little Chloe or …