Climate Culture

Wall*E

I saw Wall•E the other day with my kids and I found it absolutely rapturous, particularly the first half-hour or so. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up nominated for Best Picture. Not only is it a creative triumph, but it manages to convey “lessons” (ugh) about “environmental stewardship” (ugh) in a way that […]

Umbra on fans versus AC

Dear Umbra, I’m a girl trying to make it in a big, hot, airless city — New York, that is. We’re in the middle of a heat wave that will soon end, but the longer heat wave we call summer will continue, so I wonder: when the interior of my apartment is up to 93 […]

Should you add the latest green-living books to your library?

It’s easy writing green, or so this year’s deluge of eco-tippy books would indicate. But are any of the latest feel-good, change-a-light-bulb tomes decent? No doubt our own volume, Wake Up and Smell the Planet, is still No. 1 on your toilet tank — but we thought we’d take a look at how the recent […]

How author Betsy Block convinced her finicky family to mend their dietary ways

In her new book The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World, Betsy Block writes compellingly about trying to feed one’s family and oneself in a nutritious, sustainable, economical, and harmonious way — and dealing with various likes and dislikes within the family dining unit. Betsy Block Photo: Andrew Pockrose I […]

Seven green leaders reveal their favorite reads

Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bad books bite. Photo: margolove Which books and magazines are tempting today’s environmental movers and shakers to keep the CFLs burning late into the night? Grist asked seven movement leaders for their recommended reads. (Been burning the night oil yourself? Add your own favorite reads in the comments […]

Well-Arrested

No, he didn’t ride a Trek to the premiere of his new movie (I can hear the cars-aren’t-green comments already!), but Jason Bateman did show up in a BMW Hydrogen 7 — billed as “the world’s first hydrogen-powered car for everyday use.” Um, maybe if your “everday” activities include winning a Golden Globe, playing an […]

An interview with author Bruce Barcott

Bruce Barcott. In his new non-fiction book Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, environmental journalist Bruce Barcott follows Sharon Matola — a former Air Force survival specialist and circus-tiger trainer turned zookeeper — as she fights the construction of a hydropower dam in her adopted country of Belize, and attempts to save the nesting site […]

Umbra on exerting yourself in traffic

Dear Umbra, I bus, bike, or walk to work 98 percent of the time. I was wondering, when I’m biking (or walking, for that matter), am I inhaling more pollutants than those around me who are emitting them from their gas-guzzlers? Your answer won’t change my habits, since I’m not going to drive to work […]

Staycation, all I ever wanted

"Staycation ... a portmanteau that combines "stay" and "vacation" and refers to a holiday that takes place either at or near home."

With gas well above $4 per gallon this summer, and with airlines raising prices and canceling flights because of high fuel costs, it's not too surprising to find a word like "staycation" gaining a toehold in the North American lexicon. Google now finds nearly 200,000 web pages that use the word -- most of them added within the last few months, if my casual browsing is any indicator.

But even back when fuel wasn't so pricey, some of my favorite vacations were spent within a 50 mile radius of home. It's easy to forget how many parks, museums, nature walks, boat rides, and all-around fun can be found close to where you live -- which makes a staycation a perfect opportunity to reconnect yourself to your home town.

So I'm curious: Is anyone out there planning a staycation this year? Where are you, and what do you plan on doing?

A quick read on green lifestyle magazines

Choices are good, but good choices are better. Periodically, I find myself wandering the ever-expanding magazine aisles at local newsstands and bookstores. And I’m often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of, well, volumes. You’ve got mags for every hobby, interest, celeb, fetish, and lifestyle. So when I set out to grab some light reading about […]