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  • Umbra on mercury in CFLs

    Dearest Umbra, For the past 10 years or so I have been patiently and methodically replacing the incandescent light bulbs in my house with the more efficient compact fluorescent ones. Even though they cost more than incandescents, I have been confident that their lower energy requirements and longer life span more than made up for […]

  • All 21 of them, from Worldchanging

    A while back, Worldchanging did a great series of posts on the core principles of a bright green future. I kept meaning to link to it. Now I finally am! Here they are: Principle 1: The Backstory Principle 2: Ecological Footprints and One Planet Thinking Principle 3: Cradle to Cradle and Closing the Loop Principle […]

  • Turns his ineffectual media criticism toward the greens

    Slate media critic Jack Shafer weighs in with a blistering critique of Fox News, saying it … … tends to appeal to our emotions, exploit our fears, and pander to our vanity. It places a political agenda in front of the quest for journalistic truth and in its most demagogic forms tolerates no criticism, branding […]

  • From Spice to Spin

    Zigazig wha? Turns out what the newly reunited Spice Girls “really, really want” is a fleet of Lear jets. Yes, plural. Said an Aussie paper about their carbon-intensive tour, “Clearly, Girl Power does not come in green.” Clearly, the more important concern is whether Union Jack will fit the Spice rack. Photo: Eamonn McCormack / […]

  • Airing on the Side of Caution

    Chemical dangers to air-breathing animals overlooked, researchers say A new study in Science says regulators have overlooked the effects that thousands of chemicals could have on air-breathing organisms. Such as, for instance, people. In general, regulators study how chemicals accumulate in aquatic-based food chains; they look at how toxics dissolve in water and fat, but […]

  • Quick, do nothing!

    In April, Grist profiled Tracey Smith in our InterActivist column. She answered questions from Grist editors and from readers during National Downshifting Week in Britain. She just sent me a note to let me know that this very week is National Downshifting Week USA. Quick! Do nothing!

  • All you need for summer seafood splendor

    As you might imagine, people often ask me what species of fish are the best to eat in terms of environmental and health concerns. I usually respond by saying, “OK, how much free time do you have? Are you sitting down? Do you have access to the internet? Do you have a cold compress for […]

  • Thanks for the observation, Washington Post

    Today’s “I’m a journalist and I’m objective, here let me prove it to you!” gem of the day, nestled in an otherwise relevant and interesting Washington Post article on the costs of climate change: Some have argued that the effects of global warming will be positive as well as negative, and Frumhoff acknowledged that there […]

  • Tell Us What You Flaunt, What You Really Really Flaunt

    Spice Girls reunion tour will be — gasp — carbon-intensive We’ve been looking for an excuse to mention the Spice Girls reunion since it was announced two weeks ago, and we’ve finally got one. It seems that — brace yourself — the group’s world tour will not be eco-friendly. In fact, each Girl will get […]

  • Pop band Maroon 5 launches ‘carbon neutral’ tour

    Grammy-winning pop quintet Maroon 5 have teamed up with Global Cool to green their upcoming arena tour in support of their sophomore album It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. From the press release: Global Cool will work closely with Maroon 5’s production team, management, and the boys themselves to reduce the carbon emissions produced by […]