Climate Culture

Ecotourism tips

I am, like most enviros, somewhat conflicted on the subject of ecotourism, and I wish I knew more about it. In the end, I'm inclined to think that the damage such tourism does to the ecosystems where it takes place is outweighed by the simple fact that it offers a source of revenue other than resource extraction. There is, of course, good ecotourism and bad ecotourism -- if you, as an aspiring ecotourist, want to know which is which, MSNBC's 12 tips for ecotravelers is a good place to start.

Umbra on reusable recycling bags

Dear Umbra, I am the cofounder and current president of the Recycling Club at R.L. Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas. We have started collecting cell phones and plan to donate them to Verizon, since they refurbish and recycle or sell them. With the money they make, they buy new ones with airtime for […]

Soap Opera

Degassed water may reduce need for detergents Researchers at the Australian National University in Canberra have found an effective alternative to caustic, strong-smelling detergents: water. Good ol’ water. Degassed water, to be specific. According to their findings, published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry, if dissolved air present in everyday water is removed, H2O becomes […]

Of Motion and Emotion

I seem to have touched a nerve: it seems that more people had an opinion about my posts on the Cascadia Scorecard weblog discussing the Prius and the potential benefits of hybrid SUVs than about anything I'd written before.

My question is: why?

Umbra on making eco-friendly cleaning products

Dear Umbra, I’d like to start making my own environmentally friendly cleaning products for my home. Are there any books or websites you would recommend for cleaning “recipes”? Rachel P.S. — Thanks ever so much for your mention of the Keeper in one of your columns. Quite possibly the most useful device ever invented. Why […]

Umbra on leather upholstery

Dear Umbra, It seems everyone is getting leather upholstery in their cars and on their couches these days. Where is it coming from — the same cows that are being slaughtered for hamburgers, or special cows that are raised for their hides? What is the environmental impact of all this luxurious leather? SharonCollegeville, Penn. Dearest […]

Betsy Rosenberg, green radio-show host, answers questions

Betsy Rosenberg. What work do you do? I’ve gone from 20 years of general news reporting and anchoring for the CBS Radio network to creating an environmental radio minute to hosting and producing a one-hour nationally syndicated eco-awareness program called EcoTalk. I transitioned from journalist to activist a few years ago when, in the wake […]

Umbra on the outcome of the last pollutocrat contest

Dear Umbra, So, what were the results of the “pollutocrat” contest? I recall seeing several web postings by editors to “watch out” for this term, as if the rest of a letter’s content was somehow invalid if it was written as part of a contest. Sad. Did someone win or not? KevinParma, Ohio Dearest Kevin, […]

Umbra on which plastics to avoid

Dear Umbra, Since you only mention #1 plastics as being safe, I’m assuming I should throw out the #4 I just purchased? SylviaAnn Arbor, Mich. Dearest Sylvia, I confused and frightened and annoyed many of you on the issues of food and plastic. I’m sorry — #4 is OK, as are #2 and #5. Honestly, […]

Umbra on plastic water bottles, again

Dear Umbra, After slurping away from a Nalgene bottle all summer, you struck me with the fear of petrochemicals. So I did some quick research on my own. My conclusion is that your Aug. 2 column is misleading, even though I’m very sympathetic to your argument regarding plastics. Upon inspection, I learned that most of […]