Climate Culture

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  • DMBM

    Dave Matthews Band Tour Bus Dumps Doo-Doo on Boat Passengers An alleged environmental infraction by a Dave Matthews Band tour bus left passengers on a Chicago River sightseeing tour boat with a bad taste in their mouths — literally. While on a bridge over the river, the driver apparently emptied the bus’s waste tank with […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Circuit Boards Roasting on an Open Fire

    Dumped Electronics Poisoning Poor in Asia Computers and other electronics discarded in the West frequently end up in poor villages in China and India, where they are stripped for residues of valuable metals in primitive procedures that poison local communities. Enviro activists report that Chinese villagers cook circuit boards over open charcoal burners to strip […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Tips for earth-sensitive — and tasty — barbecuing

    You know the grill. It’s hot out there: Time to empty the kitchen of cutlery and condiments and wander into the backyard to do what our ancient ancestors did: Barbecue something! Of course, people have been gleefully grilling, giving no thought to the environment, for centuries. Linguists tell us that the word barbecue likely stemmed […]

    Green Guide Culture

  • Umbra on Energy Star labels

    Dear Umbra, When I see the Energy Star rating on an appliance, can I trust that some government or consumer group is monitoring the ratings, or is that just a commercial ploy? Who profits from the Energy Star thing? Not Starry-EyedBridgewater, N.J. Dearest Not Starry-Eyed, A green screen. Photo: EnergyStar.gov. Energy Star is a project […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Olympics Don’t Go for the Green

    Suzy Becker Culture

  • Umbra on the most effective personal eco-actions

    Dear Umbra, A lot of the questions people ask you ultimately involve pretty negligible results. When you are talking about the balance sheet of the world, does it really matter if I use a more or less environmentally responsible solution to wash my fruit? I’m wondering what three major concrete changes you’d recommend that people […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • At 70, Wendell Berry remains a champion of agrarian ideals

    Wendell Berry, right at home. Wendell Berry, 70 years old today, has established himself as many things in his lifetime: a veteran sage of sustainable agriculture; a progressive defender of virtue and tradition; one of our most famous farmers to renounce the tractor; and one of our most acclaimed authors to shun the computer. To […]

    Mark Engler Culture

  • Umbra on plastic water bottles

    Several readers have sent in questions about the dangers of chemical leaching from plastic bottles. A composite version: Dear Umbra, I’ve read some conflicting things about the risks associated with reusing plastic water bottles. For instance, the generally trustworthy folks at the urban-legends site snopes.com have criticized a widely circulated email that claims regular water […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Umbra on whole-house fans and their righteousness

    Dear Umbra, We just moved to the steamy climate of Washington, D.C., from the other Washington. Faced with our first experience using air-conditioning to cool our home, we’ve got some questions about efficiency. The house we’re renting has a central AC unit that we can control with a thermostat. It also has a roof ventilation […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Umbra on opening windows versus running the AC

    Dear Umbra, My friend and I have been having a debate that I hope you can help us settle. What is the rule of thumb when turning off the air and opening the windows? I live in Texas and in the spring we have one or two days in a row that are cool enough […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture