Climate Culture

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  • Bigger Homes and Gardens

    As New Homes in Massachusetts Get Bigger, Enviros Get Worried If Americans follow the trend in Massachusetts, they’ll increasingly be living in larger homes on larger lots, even though fewer people reside in each house. A new report by the Massachusetts Audubon Society found that the state is losing 40 acres of forest, farmland, and […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Should enviros embrace liquefied natural gas?

    It’s clear from the name alone that liquefied natural gas (LNG) is an oxymoronic commodity — but its chemical state is just one of the many paradoxes of this increasingly popular energy source. On the one hand, natural gas is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel and among the most viable near-term alternatives to coal, which currently […]

    Amanda Little Culture

  • It’s What’s on the Outside That Counts

    Cadbury to Use Biodegradable Packaging for Chocolates Earth-loving chocoholics, take heart: British chocolate giant Cadbury Schweppes announced yesterday that it will begin using biodegradable candy trays that look like plastic but dissolve in water. At first, the new packaging will only be available in Australia, but the company is talking about using the technology more […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • A new consumer revolution could change the way we label food

    There’s a tongue-in-cheek ad campaign going on in New York City right now regarding smoking in public places. The ads feature slogans like, “If they ban smoking in airports, people will never fly again,” and “If they ban smoking in bathrooms, people will never gossip again.” I thought of this campaign when I stumbled across […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Umbra on car heaters

    Dear Umbra, My friend and I have a bet going that I hope you can settle. She thinks that running the heat in a car in the winter is “free” — that is, it doesn’t use additional gas. As a conservationist, this pleases her greatly. However, I think that turning on the heat does use […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Umbra on recycling batteries

    Dear Umbra, I have to humbly admit that for years I’ve known that one can recycle batteries, but unfortunately, I’ve never known where or how to do this. I’ve been living in Seattle and northern Italy for the last year, and I have a pile of old batteries in each place. If you have any […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Advice on choosing carrots

    Dearest Umbra, I’m curious how they make those mystical little carrots that are just the right size for snacking. Are baby carrots actually harvested that small, or are they carved out of bigger carrots? If they’re carved out of bigger carrots, where do all the shavings go? Bottom line: Am I supporting a wasteful production […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • The Bottle Let Me Down

    Michigan Looks to Improve Its Recycling Record When it comes to recycling, Michigan lags behind much of the nation, and state lawmakers say it’s time to change that. Yesterday, a state Senate task force proposed spending $50 million to establish a recycling program and ban beverage containers from landfills. Funding for the project would come […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Pesticide use on airplanes could harm your health

    Vacations are supposed to leave you feeling relaxed, happy, and healthy — but if you travel by air, you might feel worse by the time you get home than you did when you left. Fear of flying? For good reason. Flying should not generally be the transportation option of choice for the environmentally minded, given […]

    Ellen Rosenbush, Naomi Kirsten, & Green Guide Culture

  • Ever Wonder About Earth-Friendly Coffins

    Suzy Becker Culture