Climate Culture

TV characters avoid gas pump drama

Interesting post about TV characters who will likely feel the gas price pinch (including Dwight Shrute of The Office and the taxi driver on How I Met Your Mother). And to counter that, a list from Whitney at Pop Candy of TV characters who don’t have to worry about problems at the pump: 1. Hiro […]

Replacement for nasty chemical may be no less nasty, says EWG

Under pressure from the U.S. EPA, eight chemical companies are phasing out perfluorooctanoic acid in nonstick, oil-resistant, and stain-resistant products — but industry-favored substitutes may be no safer, says a new report from the Environmental Working Group. The chemical, known for brevity as PFOA or C8, has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and immune […]

Even green space can’t get us off our lazy you-know-whats

“This study shows you don’t really need green space.” — Dutch researcher Jolanda Maas, commenting on a new study showing that living near green space doesn’t correlate to exercising more

How to green your kids this summer

Once more unto the beach! Photo: Tom Twigg Child-rearing may be the ultimate eco-conundrum: If you have a child, you’re adding to a population that’s already burdening the planet. And as you raise that child, you may be too tired and burdened yourself to care whether all your choices are green. On the other hand, […]

Reflecting on his daughter’s future, a father says the green movement must diversify

The face of America is changing — is the environmental movement ready to face change too? “Kyra, do you know this is yours?” I ask, looking down at the skinny little girl with big, curly, dark brown locks. Her hair to body proportion resembles Thing One and Thing Two from Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the […]

This summer, form a family nature club

Don’t miss another sunset. In past decades, when summer rolled around, parents told their children, “Go outside, and don’t come home ’til the street lights come on.” In most neighborhoods, those days are unlikely to return anytime soon. Today, parents fear strangers and strange lawyers and nature itself. Though some of this trepidation is warranted, […]

New mockumentary on climate science, dialogue, and societal change is opening soon

Filmmaker Randy Olson has just completed Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy, a hilarious new mockumentary thickly peopled with real life climate scientists, activists, skeptics, and a rollicking plot-line that could bring a lot more people into the global warming tent. I found it refreshing and a good follow-up to the Gore movie, because it's not so much about the scientists or the celebrities telling us why we should care. Instead, it's fun, watchable, and about real people and what they think about this issue.

Watch the trailer here. Tickets for the L.A. premiere go on sale next Monday.

Commuting can drive you crazy — no, literally

Think your commute drives you crazy? Well, you might be right. In a culture so accustomed to being on-the-go, sitting immobile in traffic for hours each day can take a toll on mental health, researchers say. “If you’re stuck in traffic, there’s a feeling of being out of control,” says psychologist Laura Pinegar, who says […]

One mother’s tips for managing summer eco-dilemmas

It’s painful for you both, but still better than a day inside with SpongeBob. Photo: Tom Twigg When the last school bell rings and summer gets into full swing, we modern parents simply can’t do as the previous generation did: turn our kids loose onto the chemically manicured neighborhood lawns for unsupervised games of kick-the-can, […]

Umbra on kiddie pools

Dear Umbra, Regarding your obsession with vinyl, as pertains to summer parenting: Greenpeace’s thorough Vinyl Alternatives list indicates that no good alternatives to vinyl kiddie pools exist. Do you think it is worth it to put a huge effort into manufacturing or finding a vinyl-free backyard wading experience? I can’t stop thinking about this, and […]