reuse
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The birthplace of pizza may be cooking its pies with coffins
pie4dan via Flickr Creative Commons When the truth hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s a-mor-e. When the pizza was cooked on an old coffin’s roof, that’s … a-pall-ing. Even if you’ve gone to heaven, you still might be burning after you’re gone … that is, if you were buried in Naples, Italy. […]
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DIY cheap, green burial with dryer lint
One bunny in a dryer yields three urns.Cleaning out the mass of lint, dog and human hair, dirt, and dust that collects in the dryer always makes me retch just a bit, but Oregon-based mortician Elizabeth Fournier, known as the Green Reaper, obviously has a stronger stomach than I do (from dealing with the dead […]
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Wal-Mart stores are littered with wasteful products this month
This month, in honor of Earth Day, Wal-Mart is selling garbage next to the garbage already on the shelves. The only difference is that these new products have been reincarnated into useful items thanks to the upcycling company TerraCycle. Until April 29, these kites, pots, and bags made from waste are being sold right next […]
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Ask Umbra on aluminum cans, the climate bill, and bathroom burdens
Send your question to Umbra! UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day! Q. Dear Umbra, I just finished drinking a soda—actually, I still have a sip or two left but wanted to go ahead and email you, so I’d have an answer by the time I finish it. What should I do when the can is empty? […]
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Ask Umbra on shoe polish, socially responsible investing, and Facebook
Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, I prefer to buy shoes that will last me a long time rather than buy lots of cheap ones that consume many resources. Is there an environmentally friendly shoe polish that I can use to keep my feet looking spiffy for the long haul? LaineWashington, D.C. A. […]
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Ask Umbra on organic mushrooms, dog toys, and revisiting cloth napkins
Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, I’m a big fan of organic produce (especially when the local version isn’t at hand or I’m eating it raw), and I’m also one of those folks who is obsessed with mushrooms. When I come across organic mushrooms, though, my curiosity is piqued: What don’t I know […]
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Ask Umbra on trash, toxics, and tots
Q. Dear Umbra, Municipal and individual composting operations are gaining steam nationwide. Some obvious benefits include space-saving in landfills, and cheaper and (hopefully) “greener” fertilizer. While I am an avid supporter of composting, I am curious if municipalities with composting facilities could see decreased decomposition rates in their landfills. Do yard and plant scraps even […]
