Climate Culture

The latest hipster trend

Some folks on the right are having fun with this article about ... brace yourselves ... ecosexuals:

Welcome to the latest turn of the wheel in the obsessive trend-creating machine that brought us "metrosexuals." Ecosexuals are an evolving breed of city dweller for whom keeping green is every bit as important in their romantic life as in their choice of household cleanser, dinner food, or wall paint. Sure, everyone has a checklist of qualities they want in a mate: smart, funny, good-looking, six-figure potential, listens to Beck, and so on. But now we're adding characteristics like "sexy conservationist" or "romantic recycler" to the list.

It's easy to make fun of this kind of self-righteous, finicky elitism, especially reading stuff like this:

Umbra on weather-stripping

Dear Umbra, With rising heating costs on the horizon, we’re looking to install a storm door, seal gaps, etc., around the house to prevent air leaks and increase efficiency before old man winter arrives. What are some good resources (how-to’s, sustainable product suppliers, etc.) for the job? Scott Roswell, Ga. Dearest Scott, Hi-dee-ho, dee-ho, to […]

Population, that is

It's conventional wisdom that economic growth requires a growing population; thus the gnashing of teeth over shrinking numbers in, e.g., Italy. Last week, Fred Hiatt took a look at Japan, where the birthrate is down to 1.25 (2.1 is required to maintain a stable population) and the population shrank by about 21,000 last year.

Activist Sam Pratt, featured in a PBS documentary, answers Grist’s questions

Sam Pratt. What work do you do? I advise citizens’ groups and campaigns on how to win against the odds, and I’m working on a manual of strategy and tactics for underdogs. When neighbors work closely together in a smart and structured way, there is no such thing as a “done deal” — no matter […]

Gift ideas and holiday cheer from Grist readers and staff

The holiday season is upon us, and you know what that means: bajillions of crazed consumers seeking sales assistants full of cheer, good tidings of markdowns, and the joy of reaching the last TMX Elmo just before that little old lady in the wheelchair does. Photo: iStockphoto What’s a jaded green to do? Turn to […]

From Say It to Spray It

Word. Beating out Sudoku, bird flu, and persistent vegetative state, the New Oxford American Dictionary’s word(s) of the year for 2006 is (are?) “carbon neutral.” Personally, we wonder what happened to lanced, santorum, and Maf54. Which is why they don’t let us write the dictionary. Photos: iStockphoto Tongue tried It’s a dream come true: a […]

A dispatch from an eco-showroom evening full of luxurious goods

Emily Gertz is an environmental journalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y., who has contributed to Grist, Plenty, WorldChanging, and other independent publications, and blogs at OneAtlantic.net. Emily Gertz. Thursday, 16 Nov 2006 New York, N.Y. I want to believe. I want to believe that we can create an ecologically sustainable and socio-economically just future for the […]

Umbra on environmental busybodies

Dear Umbra, A friend recently said I should “walk the talk” by replacing my synthetic clothes (purchased before I saw the environmental light, as it were) with new things made entirely of organically grown fibers. I thought about this, and it seems wasteful to get rid of clothes that still fit and look nice, just […]

Dirty Movies

Hollywood spews excess pollution along with its blockbusters Hollywood is facing an inconvenient truth: it’s a dirty industry. A UCLA report says TV and film productions pollute more than four other local industries, including aerospace and semiconductor manufacturing (but likely less than oil refineries, so that’s a comfort). Set construction, special effects, and other excesses […]

Dropping Pounds From Their Waste

U.K. shoppers encouraged to bully manufacturers that create excess waste Offering hope to scofflaws everywhere, U.K. Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw says British shoppers should leave “unnecessary and excessive” packaging at store checkouts and tattle on package-happy manufacturers. The government-sanctioned shop and skedaddle plan sounds delightfully naughty — particularly since manufacturers found guilty of overpackaging single […]