Articles by Katharine Wroth
All Articles
-
Will the McMansion ever die?
"The McMansion has almost become embarrassing to some people. They're listening not just to their wallet but their conscience."
-- Illinois builder Scott Van Duzor on the slowing of the McMansion trend (forgive us if we're skeptical -- we've heard this one before)
-
Schwarzenegger set to steamroll environmental regs with budget plan
California is in a heap of trouble. A $42 billion heap, to be exact. I've never had to figure out how to fix a $42 billion deficit, and I don't envy Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or his legislative sparring partners. But it's worth noting some environmental skullduggery that seems to be creeping into the negotiations. (OK, it's more straightforward than skullduggerous, but that's just too fun to say.)
First, there's a push in Schwarzenegger's proposed budget to exempt several transportation projects from environmental review. Or, to put it more plainly, "Just let us build our highways, you girly men." Supporters of the California Environmental Quality Act (traditionally known as "Democrats") are not happy.
-
If the automakers won’t, the city leaders will
Introducing the Detroit Office of Energy and Sustainability. Who woulda thunk it?
-
An ‘eco-friendly’ product that hits home
Sketchy “eco-friendly product” news: Restroom Guardian, a water-soluble packet containing “common granular chemicals,” creates a layer of foam in public toilets to protect your tush. Today’s Best Sentence Ever comes from Dental Economics: “Restroom Guardian helps eliminate unsanitary and unhealthy toilet micro splatter bacterial cross-contamination while greatly lessening unwanted restroom sounds.” You heard it here […]