Climate Culture
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Cell-phone chargers rated on energy efficiency
How energy-efficient is your cell-phone charger? (And why have you never thought to ask?) The world’s five biggest cell-phone manufacturers have rated the chargers they sell, from an energy-sucking one star to an eco-friendly five stars. If everyone with a cell phone “switched to a four- or five-star charger,” declares Nokia, “this could save the […]
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Simon, Random at odds over green’s role
A piece in ye olde New York Times today looks at a new line from Simon & Schuster called Little Green Books. Aimed at kiddos, the series promises to “get kids excited about going green!” Whether a book about the journey of a plastic bottle will titillate tots remains to be seen, but check out […]
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Actor touts renewable energy 30 years ago
I wanted to post this before editorial found it, because when I see something this cool, I like to plant my flag on it. The following is a segment from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s program "Marketplace," back in 1978. To repeat: Nineteen. Seventy. Eight.
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Umbra on holiday shopping
Hi Umbra, When it comes to holiday presents, does it really save energy and gas to order stuff online? Rick G. Manchester, N.H. Dearest Rick, Holiday gift time, everyone! Many of you have already begun shopping, I know, and I also know that my birthday, coming in early December as it does, adds to the […]
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Union of Concerned Scientists offers tip to buy most energy-efficient TV
If you watch TV, then you know that the country will switch to High-Definition TV sometime in February. Those with old-school cathode ray tubes may be tempted to use this milestone to “upgrade” to a flat-screen. If that describes you or someone you know, then this Greentip from the Union of Concerned Scientists may be […]
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New ‘2012’ film trailer hints at eco-disaster themes
The trailer for the film 2012 — due out next summer from the director of The Day After Tomorrow — has hit the interwebs. It appears that the film may have some eco-disaster themes, but the plot details are pretty vague at this point. I do know the premise is based on the belief that […]
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A review of eco-minded feminine products, part two
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on feminine products. The first column focused on sanitary pads. In a rant about her angry vagina, author Eve Ensler famously described tampons as “a dry wad of fucking cotton” — and she ain’t far from the truth. Unfortunately, she left out a key […]
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Colombian vice prez chides cocaine users for rainforest destruction
Cocaine users get no love from Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos Calderon, who speechified to police officers in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday: “Colombia has lost more than [5 million acres] of rainforest in the last 15 years to plant coca. If you snort a gram of cocaine you are destroying [43 square feet] of […]
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Umbra on winter biking
Dear Umbra, Here in Cleveland we recently endured the first snowstorm of winter. When I look out the window and see all that pretty white stuff, I can’t help but reach for my car keys instead of my bicycle helmet. Can you offer any suggestions for safe and warm winter riding? Jon B. Lakewood, Ohio […]
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iPhone rideshare app coming soon
It’s the 21st century, folks — text with your hitchhiker’s thumb. An iPhone application called Avego will soon be available to hook up drivers with those who need rides, helpfully suggesting a safe place to pull over and calculating the split cost between driver and rider. No word on how it’ll go over in Ontario, […]
