Latest Articles

Singing London sewermen say, Don't flush the fat! [VIDEO]

London sewermen sing a rousing hymn to proper waste disposal.

Energy efficiency: the unsung hero of our times

As our economy continues to sputter, one little-noticed industry has been booming for a while now: energy efficiency.

Want a safe place to raise kids? Look to the cities

Cities might be enriching and green and beneficial for kids in all kinds of ways. But what most parents want to know is, are they safe? The answer is that there is nothing inherently dangerous about cities. On the contrary.

Reflections on my farm’s first year

A year ago, we signed the deed for our 12-acre farm, and I prepared for a crash course in country living.

Ask Umbra: A vision for 2011 and New Year’s (re)solutions

The year of a spilled-oil atrocity, Russian spies, and a psychic octopus is at an end. So is the decade. Now what? Lose weight, make more money? How about this for a New Year’s resolution: to have a year full of solutions? Ask Umbra shares her solutions and asks to hear yours.

Nissan Leaf As An Emergency Power Source

Crossposted from the Biodiversivist blog   While doing a test drive I discovered that the Nissan Leaf has an ordinary 12 volt lead acid battery under the hood. It charges off of the main battery pack, which is several hundred volts. In other words, because you don’t need to run an engine to turn an […]

Seven New Year's resolutions to make your neighborhood a better place

This year, instead of resolving to improve yourself, make a decision to improve the place you live. It's easy. Here are some ways to start.

Gloria Steinem on population, sexual pleasure, and creating better fathers

Gloria Steinem says men need to be nurturing parents. "Men who raise children are much less likely to insist on having too many," she argues.

Plug-in cars didn't just happen

The past few weeks have seen the realization of a dream long-held by many: several major car companies started to deliver — into dealership and garages — production plug-in vehicles.  Count it as a milestone advacne in the fight against climate change…but as a part of the celebration, it’s useful to remember that this change […]

Putting EPA's announcement on CO2 from power plants in context

EPA's announcement wasn't a huge deal -- it's just a timeline, albeit a timeline that industry will complain is too fast. But the larger subject of greenhouse gas regs is a big deal.