Articles

Think being an environmental activist is hard? Try it in Mexico or Brazil

Battling armed loggers with automatic weapons, pushing back against massive government roll-backs of rainforest protections. American activists don't have it easy -- but it could be worse.

Philip Bump Uncategorized

Rangers rescue adorable seal in thong bikini

Losing your bikini bottoms in the ocean isn’t just embarrassing/sexy — it’s also a potential ecological hazard, apparently. Just ask this young seal, except he WON’T ANSWER because he’s got his THROAT stuck in a G-STRING. (Also seals can’t talk.) A local man spotted the seal on a New Zealand beach, hanging out near a […]

Jess Zimmerman Uncategorized

Number of farmers markets up almost 10 percent over the last year

The markets continue to see huge growth, hitting 7,864.

Philip Bump Food

Tomato cobbler with blue cheese biscuits [RECIPE]

Are the tomatoes in your house starting to pile up? Try this unexpected twist on the savory cobbler.

Joy Wilson Food

Here’s an Olympic gold medalist taking public transit

Here’s fencer Ruben Limardo of Venezuela, hours after winning top honors in men’s epee, toting his medal home on the London tube. Dude may have been working his ass off all day, and he may be sporting $600 in solid gold, but he’s not too good for public transportation. I never want to hear you […]

Jess Zimmerman Cities

Crowdfund your community project with Brickstarter

Bryan Boyer and Dan Hill may be saints, sent down on high by the God of City Planning. They have come up with a tool that may actually make the process of improving a neighborhood less tedious, less difficult, and less prone to 10-hour-long community meetings in which everyone has to say what they think. […]

Sarah Laskow Cities

Could America see an India-style blackout?

The very short answer is "yes." But it's also highly unlikely -- unless the U.S. sits on its infrastrucural butt.

Philip Bump Cities

Got $300? Buy a ride on a six-legged robot named Stompy

Stop fronting: You know perfectly well you want to ditch your car AND your bike and ride around town in a 10-foot, two-ton, six-legged robot. And if you donate to Project Hexapod, the creators of this behemoth (whose name is Stompy), you can get your wish. Just $300 gets you a ride around town in […]

Jess Zimmerman Technology

Even fish are getting skin cancer now

For the pale-skinned among us, the ocean is one of the most dangerous places to be. There’s no place to hide from the sun, and the water is so frickin’ reflective that even if that SPF 45 sunblock weren’t being washed off by waves and spray, it wouldn’t do much good anyway. But for the […]

Sarah Laskow Uncategorized

Plenty of work for pundits: U.S. adds jobs in July, but unemployment goes up

The country adds 163,000 new jobs, but the unemployment rate rises from 8.2 to 8.3 percent. Now everyone has something to argue about!