E Magazine articles from March 2008

E Magazine archives from March 2008

Green U.(E Word)
March 1, 2008... I wasn't a very enlightened college student and, like many today, I spent most of my out-of-class time partying until all hours of the morning. I was almost totally detached from ecological or social issues of any kind. I read The Greening of...

What stinkin' Green Jobs?(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... In Brita Belli's article "Welcome to Green-Collar America," (feature, November/December 2007) she said that it's important to "pick a niche without any sense of ideological blinders." As a newcomer to environmental consciousness, my niche is...

Know thy plastics.(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... In regards to your article ("Paper or Plastic," Currents, November/ December 2007) I wish to point out that EPI technology is an oxy-degradable that often leaves heavy chemicals behind. The German Plastics Association (GPA) has declared that...

A poop by any other name.(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... Is there a reason your story on sewage heat ("Feel the (Sewage) Heat!", In Brief, November/ December 2007) failed to mention the word "nutrients," and called for secondary wastewater treatment that would remove "ingredients?" In Tampa Bay...

From plate to planet.(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... Thank you for your article "Cheeseless and Loving It" (Your Health, November/December 2007). Like Sarah Florez, I decided to go vegan after I learned how animals are abused and cruelly killed on factory farms and in slaughterhouses. But, as...

The high cost of coal-to-liquids.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, more than a century's worth of coal mining has soiled the landscape. After hundreds of mining companies processed the coal, they left behind mountains of scraps that stick out like...

Great lakes invaders.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Every year, the St. Lawrence Seaway welcomes hundreds of foreign freighters carrying steel to Great Lakes ports. But these "salties," as the oceangoing ships are called, often bring a less-welcome cargo. Since the...

The ABC's of unrelenting waste.(aluminum beverage cans )
March 1, 2008... Last June, the aluminum industry reported that the 2006 recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans (known as ABCs) was 51.6 percent. Slightly better than half of ABC cans are recycled today, but it s a figure hardly worth boasting about. In the...

Artificial turf wars.
March 1, 2008... Both athletes and environmentalists agree that artificial turf playing fields provide a good, green alternative to grass. Here's why: artificial turf doesn't need fertilizer or pesticide-intensive upkeep. It also doesn't suffer as much from the...

Iceland's abundance of energy: can Iceland build a future on hydrogen and geothermal?(CURRENTS)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We see Iceland as the rids laboratory for a decarbonized future, says Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the country s foreign minister and former mayor of Reykjavik. Of course, many countries say similar things, but...

Debunking desalination: the "Miracle Process" that can't cure the world's water woes.(CURRENTS)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With population growing and fresh Water resources running dry, desalination seems like the perfect solution to the world's increasing thirst. Just take some sea water, or brackish water from an underground source,...

Burning down the house (and Trees): fire spending overwhelms forest service budget.(CURRENTS)
March 1, 2008... "The trees are turning red and dying, and the public expects us to do something about it," says Phil Bowden, a specialist with the White River National Forest in Colorado. Bowden now spends almost all of his time studying the bark beetle...

Curing congestion: variable toll pricing gets cars off the road.(CURRENTS)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A cross the country; air quality in big cities suffers from an onslaught of daily commuters in cars. Some government officials are tackling traffic congestion head on. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced a...

Green Olympic dreams.(UPDATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] China is giving itself a green makeover for the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing (see "Through the Smoke," Currents, May/June 2004). The Olympic organizing committee and American agencies are working...

The plug-ins are coming.(UPDATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The Detroit Auto Show last January confirmed hat plug-in hybrids (with extended all-electric range up to about 40 miles) will soon be on American roads (see "The Hot Hybrids," Consumer News, November/December 2005). The biggest news was that...

The slaughter continues.(UPDATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Animal activists have fought hard to eliminate horse slaughter in the U.S. (see "The Killing Floor," feature, May/June 2006). Under H.R. 2744, funding was removed for U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) inspectors at...

Cleaner, Greener U.: students are driving the campus climate movement, fighting Big Coal and putting legislators on notice.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Climate change is our generation's civil rights movement," says Brianna Cayo Cotter, communications director for the Energy Action Coalition, swilling from a tall cup of coffee. Cotter talked fast and raked her...

Going with the flow: colleges get serious about saving water.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Colleges and universities consume huge quantities of water through dorms, cafeterias, athletic facilities and in maintaining their rolling green grounds. Recognizing the impact they have on a fast-dwindling resource,...

Big ideas: college students create their own sustainable solutions.
March 1, 2008... A thermal solar network using parabolic reflectors and old car parts. A oat that filters its own wastewater, has on-site wind power and educates passengers about the polluted waterway on which it floats. A car that runs on natural gas from...

The green nitty gritty: whittling down the college list.
March 1, 2008... With all the posh accoutrements on campuses today, students are as likely to choose a school for its gourmet food and weight rooms as for its academic programs. The green-minded student has just as many factors to consider when facing the...

Before they're ready: toxins and TV could be leading kids to early puberty.(Your Health)
March 1, 2008... Since the 1996 publication of Theo Colburn's seminal Our Stolen Future, scientific research into the possible causes of early puberty has increased dramatically. And with good reason--early puberty has a strong association with increased rates...

The new super foods: high energy organics hit the shelves.(Eating Right)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We are a fast-paced nation of convenience, always searching for a quick energy boost through a cup of coffee, energy bar or fast acting energy drink. And the latest trend is all-natural "super-foods." Zach Adelman,...

A leafy retreat: treehouses provide communion with nature.(House & Home)
March 1, 2008... The deserted summertime nest of a New Hampshire field mouse, a mound of woodchips and chewed cloth, once plugged the stovepipe of a treehouse abode. It's the happy co-existence with the natural world that happens with treehouse living....

Our mutual friends: separating the true green funds from the pack.(Money Matters)
March 1, 2008... Clean-tech stocks have been public market players for a couple of years and the theme for 2007 was the entry of green funds. Every major fund manager is adding one of these to fill out the prospectus. It's great news, because it will bring...

Lost in the Amazon: Project Baggage pioneers "community-based tourism" in Brazil.(Going Green)
March 1, 2008... Wading in muck up to the rims of his black rubber boots, Manoel dos Santos proudly showed off his tall palms of acai (pronounced ah-sie-ee), the deliciously bitter Amazonian berry that American health food stores tout as a miracle fruit. "Ten...

Happy feet: children's footwear takes an eco-turn.(Consumer News)
March 1, 2008... Kids outgrow shoes at an alarming rate. And gone are the days of the all-white walking hoes that live on as bronzed bookends or pencil holders. Kids' shoes are a quickly expanding market, filled with mini adult versions of" everything from...

Bicycle packing.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The lightweight Novara Commuter Pannier ($80) is a backpack designed for the unsung environmentalist who travels to work by bicycle, but we found it handy for all kinds of hands-free roughing it. The main compartment, hinged on top, can handle...

Two-Way talk.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Motorola T9500 Talkabout Two-Way Radio )(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The Motorola T9500 Talkabout Two-Way Radio ($80) is a great accessory that could also be lifesaving for those outback trips when you're traveling out of cell phone range. The easy-to-use Motorola Talkabout has 22 channels and communicates over...

Here comes the sunpowered batteries.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Solio Hybrid H1000 Solar Battery Charger)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Solio Hybrid H1000 Solar Battery Charger ($80) is so intuitive we're surprised it doesn't have many competitors. For those times when you're miles from the nearest wall outlet, this is an indispensable and easily...

One tough computer.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Panasonic Toughbook 30 Laptop )(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Need to access your e-mail during skydiving practice or create spreadsheets while conquering Everest? Have we got a high-tech solution for you! The ultimate in durable computers (yet weighing just 2.6 lbs.), the case...

The comforts of home brewed.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(REI Double-Shot Press Coffee Mug)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... We believe in bringing some of the comforts of home on the road, but we never thought to pack our easily breakable French press coffee maker. But thanks to the REI Double-Shot Press Coffee Mug ($28), fresh-pressed coffee for two is yours...

An old woolen standby.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Filson Mackinaw Wool Western Vest)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Fleece and other synthetic fabrics are now popular alternatives to the old standbys cotton and wool for outdoor clothing, but the classics still have their place. Seattle-based Filson has been making rugged and epically long-lasting wool...

For goodness sake.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(www.worldofgood.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The shop World of Good, online at www.worldofgood.com, and available through kiosks at Whole Foods, campuses, bookstores and natural food stores nationwide, works with artisan groups in 32 countries to bring beautifully handcrafted jewelry,...

Danger signs.(Earth under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2008... Earth under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World (University of California Press, $34.95) by Gary Braasch was a long time in the making. The internationally ranked nature photographer has made it his mission to document climate...

The new old wind.(Wind the World Over)(Brief article)(Book review)
March 1, 2008... Before nuclear reactors, coal-fired power plants and the internal-combustion engine, there was wind. Wind the World Over by Irene Boland and Vanessa Kellogg (Bright Sky Press, $14.95) follows Ruby and Ian, two kids from Texas chasing...

Hydrogen hopes.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(The Hydrogen Age: Empowering a Clean-Energy Future )(Brief article)(Book review)
March 1, 2008... The Hydrogen Age: Empowering a Clean-Energy Future (Gibbs Smith, $24.95) by Geoffery B. Holland and James J. Provenzano makes the case for this lighter-than-air element as the key replacement for oil, which is jointly beset by global warming...

The road to ethanol.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Alcohol Can be a Gas: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century)(Brief article)(Book review)
March 1, 2008... Alcohol Can be a (;as: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century by David Blume (International Institute for Ecological Agriculture, $47) is a phonebook-sized collection jam-packed with political cartoons, historical images and how-to...

From pouches to couches.(EARTH TALK: Questions & Answers About Our Environment)
March 1, 2008... Dear EarthTalk: Tuna and pet foods that were sold only in cans are now also available in "'pouches." Is this kind of packaging less harmful to the environment or just cheaper to make?--Stefanie Galdolfi, Oakland, CA Food pouches, which are...