Climate Culture

Time for a Change

No need to throw the dirty diapers out with the bathwater! Santa Clarita, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles, is the first municipality in the United States to institute a diaper-recycling program, which will transform the soiled, disposable sacks of goodies into oil filters, roof shingles, and vinyl siding. Some 20 billion diapers are buried […]

Chips Ahoy … Ahoy, Ahoy

Think twice before you scrap that computer for the latest flat-screen iMac. Pound for pound, the average computer chip causes more harm to the environment than a car, according to a study by a team at the United Nations University in Tokyo. The researchers looked at all the materials (including chemicals and fossil fuels) required […]

Uplifting News

If only Bob Dole had known, he could have raked in some environmental brownie points while touting Viagra as a wonder cure for erectile dysfunction: The little blue pill could be the saving grace for thousands of endangered animals, according to research published recently in the journal Environmental Conservation. Tigers, reindeer, and harp seals, among […]

Umbra on corpses

Dear Umbra, What’s the greenest method of disposing of one’s corpse? I’m just dying to know. BuchachaAustin, Texas Dearest Buchacha, You are not the only one thinking of the Great Green Beyond; there are more choices about the fate of your corpse than you might imagine. Let’s start with the traditional options: Cremation is greener […]

Umbra on candles

Dear Umbra, Recently, nature-conscious religions such as Paganism and Wicca are getting a lot of attention. This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, such religions inspire love for the environment and have spawned many eco-nuts (myself included, I admit). However, although most of the common practices seem to be eco-friendly enough, I’m concerned […]

Students compete to build the house of the future

At midnight one late-September evening, a convoy of 18-wheeler flatbed trucks carting 14 houses (some whole, some in parts) and thousands of square feet of solar panels rolled past the Washington Monument, drove along the National Mall, and headed up to the front lawn of the Capitol building. Upon arriving, the first truck in line […]

Happy Halloweenie

Empire State Green Building

A landmark sustainable building project in lower Manhattan is back on track after being delayed due to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Construction resumed recently on 20 River Terrace, one of the world’s first green residential skyscrapers, which will be located in Battery Park City a stone’s throw from Ground Zero. The 27-story tower, […]

Umbra on water conservation

Dearest Umbra, How can I convince friends to conserve water? I write a column for my church newsletter to encourage responsible environmental practices by church members. One member said recently that he doesn’t see any need to conserve water personally; given that our area has plenty of water, why should he turn off the tap […]

Advice on converting to biodiesel

Umbra, I own a diesel VW Golf, which I bought thinking it was a better choice for the environment than a gasoline engine. Therefore, I was disappointed to read your message that diesel is probably a worse choice. However, you didn’t talk at all about biodiesel. Can you give us a rundown on this fuel […]