Climate Culture

From Ellen to Illin’

Ay, there’s the scrub First came the ads and webisodes showing Dawn detergent cleaning itty-bitty oil-soaked critters. Now Ellen DeGeneres is barking about becoming a seal on Dawn’s world-saving website. Nemo has yet to comment on the development. Photo: Kevin Mazur / WireImage.com Remote controlled Channeling vintage Grist List, Connecticut has launched a “No Child […]

LEED is expanding to neighborhoods, and Doug Farr is leading the way

Doug Farr was heading into The Grind, a local fair-trade coffee spot in Chicago’s swanky Lincoln Square neighborhood, when he ran into Peter Nicholson, the organizer of the city’s monthly Green Drinks. The two well-heeled unofficial flag-wavers for the local green scene exchanged enthusiastic greetings, and began discussing the latest goings-on. Doug Farr. “Ugh. I’m […]

The history of tree-hugging, and the future of name-calling

Anyone who ever sympathized with Eric Cartman‘s declaration, “I hate hippies! … I want to kick ’em in the nuts” probably finds the word “tree-hugger” useful — and plenty of other people dig the word, too. Maybe you’d rather be a vile SUV-cuddler? Photo: iStockphoto At this point, it’s hard to imagine the vocabulary of […]

Umbra on synthetic fabrics and kids

Dear Umbra, I have just recently learned about all these plastic-awareness issues and now wonder about polyester clothing, or any human-made fabric for that matter, on my children (three girls: 3, 5, and 7 years old). If plastics can leach out into their bodies, can clothing also affect them? Julie Roberts Nevada City, Calif. Dearest […]

A chat with Worldwatch’s Gary Gardner on faith and environmentalism

Gary Gardner. “It’s because I’m a religious person that I’m an environmentalist,” says Gary Gardner, director of research at the Worldwatch Institute. An expert on nuclear proliferation, population, and world hunger, Gardner returns to a subject close to his heart with his latest book: Inspiring Progress: Religions’ Contributions to Sustainable Development. I caught Gardner by […]

Polluting my bathroom

You know that little rubber duckie in your bathroom? I always thought the little fella was sorta cute, nestled there between the shampoo and the loofa.

Well, it turns out the little ducky's not so rubber after all -- it's plastic, namely the dreaded PVC. And it further turns out the bathroom is full of the stuff.

From Hatcher to Hogan

Trailer of beers We wouldn’t put it beyond Brit and K-Fed to shack up in a trailer park — have ya seen him not in a ‘beater? But we bring you a different desperate housewife altogether. Yes, it’s solar-powered. Yes, it’s set on an organic farm. But really, T-Hatch — a trailer? Photo: Jesse Grant […]

One of two individuals in DOE’s voluntary emissions program reports back

I’ll admit it: I’m different from most people. I have energy savings goals for my house and car. I usually shop at a local food co-op, paying more than I have to for organic items. I even work indirectly with renewable energy for a living. It wouldn’t be that hard to be labeled an environmentalist, […]

An interview with J. Matthew Sleeth, evangelical environmentalist and author

In 2000, a wealthy hospital chief of staff and evangelical Christian named J. Matthew Sleeth looked around at the life he’d built — suburban neighborhood, huge house, two cars, lots and lots of stuff — and decided it failed to properly honor God. J. Matthew Sleeth: listen to the heart.In what he describes as a […]

Umbra on kayak materials

Dear Umbra, I’m planning on kayaking the Inside Passage next summer and am having a hard time deciding what kind of boat to get. Are there any environmental reasons to choose a kayak material? Mostly I’m torn between plastic, which is cheaper and more durable, vs. fiberglass, which is lighter and faster, or Kevlar, which […]