Climate Culture

Carbon offsets and guilt

Brad Stone has a clever satirical take on carbon offsets over on Newsweek, riffing off the recent partnership of Ford and TerraPass.

I think this is a wonderful idea -- do good while doing bad -- and I urge other businesses to join Ford in this fledgling, guilt-credits marketplace. It just might help us cope with the unreasonable stigma now associated with the proud American tradition known as conspicuous consumption.

For example, the fast-food giants might roll out an initiative called Flatter Tummies. For every bacon double cheeseburger they sell, the restaurant chains could allow customers to make a small donation toward the gastric-bypass surgery center of their choice.

With "Smarter Stitches," clothing manufacturers could help us compensate for the exploitation of low-wage textile workers in Asia. Every time you buy a new pair of sneakers, the footwear company in question would allow you to send an appreciative gift to an overseas textile worker -- perhaps a stuffed animal or the book "Goodnight Moon," translated into the appropriate language.

Ha ha, right?

But here's the thing:

From Flush to Flesh

Mellowed yellow Politico-Brits are rushing to expose their eco-cred — allowing personal tidbits to trickle into the media. London mayor Ken Livingstone says he’s “let it mellow” for 15 months, while the Conservative Potty Party chair eschews the toilet entirely, suggesting that his fellow citizens pee on their compost instead. Talk about a government leak. […]

An interview with accidental movie star Al Gore

Al Gore is on the campaign trail again, and he actually seems to be enjoying it. Like Brad Pitt, but wonkier. Photo: Eric Neitzel/WireImage. For those who remember his ponderous, consultant-driven bid for president, the idea of Gore enjoying anything about campaigning may seem far-fetched. But this time, the campaign’s not about him; it’s about […]

Jason and Kimberley Graham-Nye, eco-diaper entrepreneurs, answer questions

The Graham-Nye clan. What are your job titles? Cofounders, CEO and president, dad and mum of gDiapers. What does your company do? Manufacture and market the world’s only flushable diaper. Every day in the U.S., 50 million waste-filled diapers go into the landfill where they sit for up to 500 years. Diapers are the third-largest […]

Umbra on organic cashews

Dear Umbra, I work in a grocery store. Recently a customer refused to purchase our cashews because they weren’t organic. Does it really matter if nuts are organic? Are they sprayed with chemicals during production? Did the customer have a point, or should she have sucked it up and bought our cashews? Brianna Farmington Hills, […]

From Beauty to Burgers

Miss environmentality The newly crowned Miss Rhode Island has taped up her boobies, Vaselined her teeth, and strutted her stuff in a swimsuit and heels — all in the service of fighting global warming. The tiara’d staffer for the Harvard Green Campus Initiative says it’s all part of her plan to push the issue in […]

Read and Green and Urban All Over

Plans for an eco-city in China inspire a green neighborhood in London The world’s largest eco-city is soon to be built in China, on an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River near Shanghai. Dongtan, being developed by London’s Arup Urban Design, will consist of village-style neighborhoods and will emphasize pedestrian-friendliness, renewable-energy generation, and […]

How birding and blogging changed one soldier’s time in Iraq

Glassing the evening sky for feather and foe. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Trouern-Trend. Jonathan Trouern-Trend has been a dedicated bird-watcher since he was about 12. So in 2004, when the now 38-year-old Connecticut National Guard sergeant got sent to Iraq, he had birds on the brain. While stationed at Camp Anaconda — a huge American […]

From Bo to ‘Boards

Bo, you do know diddly In honor of Global Love Day (serious!), we’re spreadin’ the love this week. And where better to start than with Bo Derek? The notorious “10” was just named U.S. special envoy on wildlife trafficking. Which we’re sure is unrelated to her wild times with Bush’s new chief of staff. Photo: […]

Summer Rayne Oakes hosts new television show

Back in February, I mentioned that Summer Rayne Oakes was filming a "new, entertaining, environmentally-charged show." After contacting the eco-fashionista's PR firm, I was told I would be among the first to get more details. "Yeah, right," is what I thought to myself. Yet, months later, what do I find in my inbox but a press release: