Articles by Katharine Wroth

Climate change is still news to some

Today's "news" that the earth is warmer than it's been for a wicked long time (!) and that humans are a big cause of that warming (!!) makes me wonder: how long will it take until this is widely accepted as a fact of life and not a headline-worthy debate? How many scientific studies need to come out?

It's not entirely a rhetorical question. How long do you think it will take? I say 5-6 more years.

The big-box plot thickens

Was watching TV last night, and half paying attention during the commercials, when I heard something like this: "High gas prices got you down? Do all your shopping in one place: Wal-Mart."

Oh, Wal-Mart. What to make of your ongoing evolution? Way back when, you were an in-town store. Then you became the hated icon of big-box suburbia, and a huge contributor to people driving more as part of their daily routines. Now you're twisting the driving thing to make it seem like a benefit -- but at the same time, you're sending a subtle message to conserve! Which can't be a coincidence, considering the shift to selling organics and such! Is it time to return to your roots, open a few downtown locations, experiment with the notion of community again? Stranger things have happened.

From Iowa to I Owe Ya

Sometimes a basin is just a basin Personally, we don’t see anything unusual about the shape of this Des Moines, Iowa, water detention basin. Nope, not a thing. But apparently, some locals have started saying it looks like — well, you know. That’s bollocks! Photo: Polk County Assessor’s Office. It’s not that easy being red […]

Quick, ditch your car

June 8 alert! Besides being World Ocean Day, it's also National Dump the Pump day, when we're all supposed to ditch our cars and take public transit.

Perhaps I've been blind to the vast PR machine of the American Public Transportation Association, but I wish this had gotten a little more press. They've even got fun stats on their site, like the fact that getting rid of a car and using public transit can save you up to $11,000 a year. Sure beats a $100 rebate.

I'll be celebrating by taking the bus home! Which is unrelated to the fact that that's how I always get home! Anyone else?