Climate Culture

From Pee Pee to Po-Po

Visualize world pees If you’re a fan of answering nature’s call, in nature, urine luck. Pees on Earth is a collection of photos by Ellen Jong, who documented herself poppin’ squats all over the world. She hopes the book has a trickle-down effect, inspiring others to be one with their environs. Is this what they […]

Only concrete alternatives will cajole people out of the suburbs

Often, the first step to helping people make better choices is showing them that there are choices.

One of the biggest and most important -- albeit frequently overlooked -- steps toward combating global warming, improving public health, reducing air pollution, and restoring a sense of community and fellow-feeling to American life is changing the structure of our communities.

Right now, conventional wisdom is that the choice is between suburbs -- big houses, plenty of privacy and safety, big, cheap retail readily available -- and tight, cramped, dangerous, dirty living in a city, with corner stores the only source of provisions. This perception is off, but it's not that far off. There are still too few concrete examples of dense, safe, mixed-use walkable communities with all the conveniences of the suburbs.

So, forthwith, Dave's Two-Step Plan for Cleaner, Safer Communities:

Umbra on video games

Dear Umbra, After reading some heart-rending, gut-wrenching articles on global warming, I’ve decided that I want to do something about it. I’ve started by vowing never to buy a car, or get a driver’s license. But I happen to love video games. Nothing is going to make me stop playing my video games. As I […]

Al’s Well That Pens Well

Al Gore to publish new book on global warming The self-proclaimed “former next president of the United States” — currently at the Sundance Film Festival (and, may we point out, looking quite natty) to promote his new documentary about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth — has announced that he’ll soon be coming out with a […]

A recyclable museum houses Gregory Colbert’s photos of charismatic animals

The Nomadic Museum … wandering the globe. Photos: Gregory Colbert. Over the next few months, hundreds of thousands of animal lovers, art lovers, and the odd Bill or Billy or Mac or Buddy will take a left off Santa Monica Boulevard and head down toward the Nomadic Museum, an extraordinary structure made entirely of reusable […]

Umbra on fireplaces

Dear Umbra, We pile on socks and sweaters, but there are just times you need more warmth. Should we use the fireplace or our central (gas-powered) heater? Also, can you let us know which is better, natural firewood or those chemically infused logs that claim lower particulate matter is released? Kas SutDavis, Calif. Dearest Kas, […]

From Fill-Ups to Free Parking

In other news, vegans to eat 30 cows in 30 days Leaving London this week, a pair of drivers set off on a trip around the world, pledging to use fewer than 50 tanks of gas, hoping to “show people that in these hard environmental times they can save fuel.” By driving 14 hours a […]

What About Those Cahs in the Yahd?

Pioneering e-waste recycling law takes effect in Maine Maine: It’s not just lobstah anymore. This week, the Pine Tree State became the first in the nation to require manufacturers to cover the cost of recycling televisions and computer monitors. Similar to e-waste laws already in force in Japan and some European countries, Maine’s new rule […]

Zoo Peeper

Jacko gets a pass on conditions at his private zoo If there’s one subject we like writing about more than cow poop, it’s the narcissistic hijinks of our celebrity overlords. If they are 90 percent synthetic, all the better. Speaking of: Seems Michael Jackson has been cleared of charges of mistreating the menagerie of exotic […]

Umbra on choosing a laptop

Dear Umbra, I am buying a new laptop, and I was wondering if all computers are the same energy-wise, or if some brands are better for the environment? Aviva HorrowPhiladelphia, Pa. Dearest Aviva, You’re already off to a good start, as laptops consume far less energy than desktop machines — we’re talking over 50 percent […]