Climate Culture

World inches toward becoming paper-free

Worldwide paper consumption has plateaued worldwide after rising steadily for the past two decades, and the world’s richest countries saw a 6 percent decline in paper use between 2000 and 2005. Some folks forecast that a paper-free world is nigh, and trends back up that prediction: in more and more homes, you’re more likely to […]

Sweet ideas for your sweetie

Photo: iStockphoto My New Favorite Commenter already has a bouquet picked out for me, but if you’re still wondering what to send your sweetie for Valentine’s Day, the Boston Globe offers some eco-friendly options. The Sierra Club and GreenLAGirl have also put together lists. And you’ll love my own "red-hot" ideas for a green holiday: […]

From Pirates to Parody

Oh arrrrre they? Ahoy! Cap’n Marie Jailbait and Ironic Sal be impressed by the gumption of these swashbuckling eco-pirates. We hoist a pint o’ grog to ye, mateys! Photo: iStockphoto Want to suck my pickle? Thought: When your own website wonders whether your product is “one of those crazy ideas that should have died a […]

A Christian quest to cut carbon

With the start of Lent, Christians the world-over are praying, fasting, and giving alms in preparation for Easter. This often means also making some kind of sacrifice in the name of solidarity with the poor and the Church … you know, getting guilted into giving up your most savory sins: gorging yourself on Moose Tracks […]

Live-action Captain Planet film a no-go

Dear children of the ’80s, I heard a rumor last week that Warner Bros. studio had announced a live-action film version of the ’90s cartoon series Captain Planet and was planning to release it in late 2009. Captain Planet, you say? Why, he’s our hero! (Wasn’t he gonna take pollution down to zero?) Sadly, though, […]

How to green your love life

Skyrockets in flight … but is it an eco-friendly delight? Photo: iStockphoto Ahhh, the bedroom: an oasis of pleasure, a place where terms like “emissions reduction” and “off-gassing” should never intrude. Not that environmentalism and sex don’t mix. It’s just that lying back and thinking about things like CO2 and carcinogens isn’t exactly … hot. […]

Church of England urges carbon fast for Lent

Planning to give up alcohol or chocolate for 40 days when the season of Lent begins tomorrow? Two Church of England bishops are urging churchgoers to instead take part in a carbon fast.

Fewer folks are regularly getting out in nature, says study

Kids — and adults — these days are “videophiliacs” who prefer their nature through the TV screen rather than personally experienced, says a new study estimating that U.S. folks’ participation in outdoor recreation has dropped as much as 25 percent over the past 20 years. Researchers looked at four metrics: visitation to public lands, number […]

Slim down with the ‘Waste Diet’

There are people who talk about reducing, reusing, and recycling -- and then there's Maren Engelmohr.

Engelmohr, a St. Louis architect with an impressive set of green credentials, her husband, and her two children are embarking on a year-long "waste diet," and are challenging you (and me) to do the same:

What qualifies as a green flower?

Roses are red,Violets are blue,But if you want a greener choice,What the hell should you do? The NYT asks that very question (minus the poetic flair, of course) and struggles to answer it: And as in other industries with increasing demand for green products, the floral industry is debating what is environmentally correct. Should flowers […]