Climate Culture

From Battle to Bourdain

Talk about a motley crew Dr. Feelgood and hip-hopper Ludacris want to stand up (when they move, you move — just like that) and fight for Battleground Earth, an eco-reality competition that will pit the musicians against each other. Luda to Lee: “Move bitch, get out the way!” Photo: John Shearer/WireImage.com Wheel of footin’ Can’t […]

‘State Farm can get you back behind the wheel’

Witness the humiliation as this distinguished professional is forced to … my God, I can barely say it … ride a bike to work. Do something, State Farm! Anything! "You know that place where you’re swapping four wheels for two? Oh, man, I’m there." Says Streetsblog: "Yeah, I know that place. It’s called a city." […]

The Age of Asparagus dawned in Roman times, but the time to eat it is now

Asparagus may be associated with spring, but there’s nothing new about it. It’s been gracing tables — to the joy of some diners and the horror of others — for at least two thousand years. In the earliest known cookbook, De Re Culinaria (circa A.D. 100), proto-foodie Marcus Apicius recommends pounding asparagus tips with black […]

Seattle gets five more blocks of bike lanes

In this post, I talked about Seattle's efforts to improve bicycle safety. I mentioned that the busiest part of a key road was not striped, thanks to pressure from a local real estate baron who didn't want business disrupted. This created a dangerous gauntlet to run as bikers left the bike lane to start their long, hard slog uphill. I'm happy to report that the city has since reconsidered, and it has made a world of difference for safety.

Which gives me the opportunity to tell the story of how I got hit by a car.

Umbra on long, hot showers

Dear Umbra, The biggest waster of energy in our house right now is our 15-year-old daughter, whose never-ending daily showers must surely be responsible for warming the planet another half-degree. No matter how loudly we bang on the bathroom door and scream for her to stop, she showers on — 20, 30 minutes at a […]

Maya Lin’s latest memorial will pay tribute to the planet

Maya Lin, an artist best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is making plans for a tribute to what has passed from the earth — literally. Her planned memorial will list the names of animals, birds, and plants that have gone extinct. “The top 10 songbirds we grew up with are […]

Rapper, rocker compete in eco-reality show

Rapper Ludacris and rocker Tommy Lee will be teaming up for a new eco-reality series called Battleground Earth. Together, the motley crew (!) will compete in various challenges aimed at highlighting green issues — though the show is actually “designed to emphasize entertainment over eco-preaching.” Hmm … ya think?

E.O. Wilson calls for kids to be set free outside, scripted activities be damned

Renowned biologist and naturalist E.O. Wilson regaled the crowd at last week’s Aspen Environment Forum with his wit and wisdom during an on-stage interview. A choice segment: The worst thing you can do to a child, in my opinion, is take them on a hike through a botanical garden where there are the names of […]

How to green your underwear drawer

Go on, green your drawers. Photo: jamelah e. Change your undies, change the world! OK, maybe that’s stretching things a bit — which can’t be good for those elastic waistbands. But think about all the times in recent history that underwear has shaped the culture: the 1960s bra-trashing by women’s libbers, the infamous 1994 “boxers […]

Paper mags go green(ish) for one month

The third annual “Green Issue” of Vanity Fair has arrived: Vanity, all is VanityAlthough Madonna graces the cover, the story inside makes no mention of greenness … including her “eco-song” and headlining gig last summer at Live Earth. Altogether an interesting choice for the “green issue,” though I applaud the absence of sweater belts. The […]