E Magazine articles from November 2008

E Magazine archives from November 2008

Shopping our way green?(Word)
November 1, 2008... Leave it to Madison Avenue to turn all the newfound public interest in the environment into a shopping trip--and a pricey, one at that. I suppose it's the only wax., environmental protection can be permitted to exist alongside capitalism, which...

Meaty responses.(ADVICE & DISSENT: LETTERS FROM OUR READERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I recently read your articles on the negative environmental impact of the linear industry ("The Meat of the Matter," cover story, July/August 2008). I found it quite insightful. As a hunter, I was excited to learn that our sport is not only the...

One steak at a time.(ADVICE & DISSENT: LETTERS FROM OUR READERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... It seems you advocate the abolishment of meat from our diet ("The Cow in the Living Room," E Word, July/August 2008). I agree wholeheartedly, but what alarmed me about your article was your feeling that efforts to practice and support...

Recycling consumerism?(ADVICE & DISSENT: LETTERS FROM OUR READERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I certainly wish success to the recycling program in Hartford, Connecticut ("Relearning to Recycle," Currents, July/August 2008), but it seems paradoxical to try to encourage recycling by awarding residents vouchers for retail purchases that...

Correction.(ADVICE & DISSENT: LETTERS FROM OUR READERS)(Correction notice)
November 1, 2008... In the article "The Meat of the Matter" (cover story, July/August 2008) we wrote that the American meat industry produces more than 60 million tons of waste annually. The correct figure is 1.4 billion tons of waste a year, according to the U.S....

Behind the greens: the bowerbirds.(5 Questions of Environmental Leaders)(Phil Moore and Beth Tacular)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Phil Moore and Beth Tacular have given up on the human world. In the backwoods of North Carolina, they live in an Airstream trailer with no electricity or plumbing, the nearest town about 15 minutes away. This Walden-like existence is perfect...

My own little turbine.(INNOVATION)(Philippe Starck)(Interview)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A personal wind turbine created by the French designer Philippe Star& has just been released. The 18-foot turbine, which resembles a giant rotating magnifying glass, debuted at Milan's Greenergy Design show in March....

Forsaken lake.(SLICE OF LIFE)(Lake Cerknica)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAPTION: Forsaken Lake: A fisherman rescues dying pike from Lake Cerknica in Slovenia, the largest intermittent lake in Europe. The lake dries out three times a year (a decade ago, it was once in seven years) due to...

Dive into a carpool.(DivideTheRide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Drivers face gridlock traffic every day, yet single-occupancy vehicles continue to dominate the roadways. Why not share the ride? DivideTheRide is an online service where families can organize carpool calendars with people they know. Once...

Environmental education.(ACTIVISM)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the cuffed polar bear sitting in a giant electric chair didn't convince enough students en route to their classes last January, the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) is getting another chance this...

How green is that ... Christmas tree?(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Feel guilty about chopping down a pine tree this Christmas? Think you'll help the environment by purchasing an artificial tree? Think again. Even if you plan to reuse that artificial tree for years, it's the most...

The missing gas.(Nitrogen trifluoride)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Nitrogen Trifluoride (N[F.sub.3]) has been termed the "missing greenhouse gas," with a global warming potential over 17,000 times greater than C[O.sub.2] in a hundred-year period. The research was published in June 2008 in Geophysical Research...

Toyota.(Honor Roll)
November 1, 2008... Toyota supports the No Child Left Inside initiative, giving $5 million and 23 vehicles to national parks across the country.

Dow Chemical Company.(Honor Roll)
November 1, 2008... The Dow Chemical Company formed a partnership with the Nature Conservancy to restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest, pledging $1.5 million.

TheGreenOffice.com.(Honor Roll)
November 1, 2008... TheGreenOffice.com became the first national office supply retailer to go PVC-free, removing close to 2,000 products from their catalog.

Three digits: the 350 campaign has global warming's number.(CURRENTS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Skier Bode Miller is wearing the bright-green sweatband. Cyclist Adam Craig sports one. Surfers, speed skaters and hockey players have picked up on the trend. And if Andrew Gardner reaches his goal, exactly 350...

Sustainable clubbing: around the U.S., dance clubs are making green moves.(CURRENTS)
November 1, 2008... The average dance club uses 150,000 watts of electricity. And while we cant place the blame for global warming on the shoulders of their sweaty, dancing masses, these clubs could be doing more--reducing bottle and cup waste, conserving energy...

How not to save a beach: beach nourishment in the age of big development.(CURRENTS)
November 1, 2008... Trying to save an eroding beach is not a new concept. Since the early twentieth century, the desire to live near the sea has driven multi-billion-dollar development and tourism. There were breakwaters built to eliminate wave action, sea walls...

Solar industry heats up: the technology is here, but not the investment.(CURRENT)
November 1, 2008... Aided by rising fossil fuel prices, interest in solar power is at an all-time high. And the cost of solar cells continues to drop, thanks to greater efficiency and thinner silicon wafers that use fewer raw materials. Where once solar energy was...

Green living deluxe: how the environmental movement went way, way upscale.
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Environmental bad tidings make us nervous. But buying the latest organic, eco-friendly, all-natural, locally grown, bamboo, hybrid, post-consumer-recycled, solar-powered, BPA-free, non-toxic, energy-efficient,...

My green house if bigger than yours: mega-mansions are going green, at least a little.(Green Living Deluxe)(Hamptons Luxury Homes)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Want to know why owners of 10,000-plus square-feet second homes are building greener? Guilt. "It's part of a guilt complex," says Frank Dalene, the vice president and chief financial officer of Hamptons Luxury Homes....

Custom green computer: $16,500.(Green Living Deluxe)(Enlighten)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Canadian industrial designer Howard Suissa creates exclusive desktop computers that "provide an emotional connection to digital living." Enlighten is a limited-edition computer model that includes cutting-edge...

Hybrid hype: the basic disconnect of luxury hybrids (especially if they're SUVs).(Green Living Deluxe)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2008... When it comes to hybrid vehicles, there's only one big winner: Toyota. The company has 80% of the U.S. hybrid market, and the majority of those sales are the brilliantly designed Prius. The four-door Prius caught on both because of its...

Solar yacht: $2.5 million.(Green Living Deluxe)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Independence Green Yacht 60 commandeers solar energy for use during the day and then stows the energy away as hydrogen and electricity for use when the sun goes down. The green yacht can cruise at 13.5 knots at top speed and can run 1,200...

Ethical cuff links: $5,169.(Green Living Deluxe)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ingle & Rhode, a UK company that boasts it's the "Ethical Jeweller," has a variety of cuff links in its collection in gold, silver and platinum, made in an environmentally responsible fashion. The company doesn't buy...

Recycled night-light: $450-$590.(Green Living Deluxe)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Esque studio in Portland, Oregon, artists Andi Kovel and Justin Parker use recycled glass to create artistic and functional pieces. An electric furnace that's powered by wind energy processes the used glass. A sleeping bird night-light...

A case for eco-fashion: eco-couture is changing fashion for the better.(Green Living Deluxe)
November 1, 2008... Change, at least in fashion, starts at the top. Maggie Norris, a couturier who designs with gorgeous vintage and antique fabrics, has dressed the likes of Nicole Kidman, Diane Keaton, Mischa Barton and Halle Berry. She says, Seeing eco in...

E's top 10 eco celebs.(Green Living Deluxes)(celebrities)
November 1, 2008... The massive shift toward environmental consciousness has definitely landed in Hollywood. Myrlia Purcell of celebrity-philanthropy blog www.looktothestars.org, says, "There is definitely a 'greening' trend in Hollywood, which seems to be in part...

Rich enough to offset: do voluntary carbon markets promote luxury emissions?(Green Living Deluxe)
November 1, 2008... Al Gore caught a lot of flack last year from conservative pundits when it was reported that his monthly energy bill was about 20 times higher than that of the typical American home. Adding to these headlines were accounts of his regular...

OM for an hour: luxe relaxation without the guilt.(Green Living Deluxe)(spa)
November 1, 2008... Best All-Around Eco Spa The Spa and Wellness Center Brooklyn, New York (718)921-6100 www.greenspany.com Ten years ago, Sheila Brody began with an 8 ft. x 10 ft. massage studio. Today, she and her sister Maureen manage an...

A watch that cares: $300,000-$400,000.(Green Living Deluxe)(Leonardo DiCaprio Fund)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This past fall, environmentally aware actor Leonardo DiCaprio teamed with Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre in a program named "Time to Care" to sell two exclusive watches, with all profits going toward the Leonardo...

To call or not to call? The ongoing cell phone safety debate.(Your Health)
November 1, 2008... In 1984, consumers flocked to buy the first mobile phones available to the public. The technology had been developed by the Department of Defense, but the cell phones had never been specifically tested for safety. It was reasoned that the...

Salts of the earth: chefs weigh in on this ancient seasoning.(Eating Right)
November 1, 2008... "Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea."--Pythagoras (580 BC-500 BC) We're all familiar with the tiny, white crystals in the saltshaker. But while salt has been used to season and preserve food since prehistory,...

The woodstove's big comeback: cleaner-burning, energy-saving woodstoves are getting a second look.(House & Home)
November 1, 2008... Between 1973 and 1980, the price of crude oil increased sevenfold. Many homeowners wondered how they would heat their homes if prices continued to climb. Wood heat, long a home-heating fuel in the far north, began to sound like a good idea for...

Taking our own inventory: Gus Speth on capitalism and the environmental community.(MONEY MATTERS)(James Gustave Speths's 'The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability')(Interview)
November 1, 2008... "The planet cannot sustain capitalism as we know it," That sentence crops up throughout James Gustave ("Gus") Speths latest book, The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability (Yale...

Made in Maui: sampling farm-fresh island delights.(Going Green)
November 1, 2008... Most travelers to Maui take roads west, away from the airport in Kahului and toward sun, sea and sand, where high-rise hotels meet crowded boardwalks. But bearing east, the 42-mile road to Hana pulls drivers through 600 hairpin turns, down into...

Beneficial bags: saving the earth, one tote at a time.(CONSUMER NEWS)(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2008... It's estimated that the average person uses 500 plastic bags per year and recycles only four or five of them. With over 500 billion plastic bags discarded every year, it's no wonder that the demand for an alternative is skyrocketing. And your...

Organic indulgences.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aveda has partnered with communities in Northwestern Nepal to release nine limited-edition gift sets packaged in Lokta paper. The paper is handcrafted by men and women in the Himalayas and every purchase helps to...

Top toy picks.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For those who prefer catalog and online shopping, there have never been more earth-friendly options, especially for your littlest gift recipients. Oompa Toys features quality kid stuff from the whimsical to the...

Beauty by design.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... With Origins, you can select pre-packaged beauty sets or design your own gift pack and have it wrapped free of charge. Origins uses 100% recycled boxes and festive carbon- and acid-free, 15% recycled paper. Gift products include: Extremely...

Mad about magnets.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kate Grenier Designs LLC sells handmade, cleverly designed magnets made from recycled bottle caps as singles or in themed sets of up to six, from $3 to $18. Pick up the "planet earth" set to remind everyone on your...

Get your resin on.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(bracelets)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reusable water bottles and recycled bags aren't the only ways to get plastic out of landfills--now you can un-plastic your jewelry, too. everybodygreen.com offers charm bracelets made with corn starch-based resin,...

The wine list.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Organic wines are now available in every variety and style for comparable cost to their chemically produced counterparts. Boisset Family Estates breaks all the barriers with its Yellow Jersey wine. It's a warm, light Pinot Noir from France in a...

Scented stocking stuffers.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Pacifica Solid Perfumes)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Slip these Pacifica Solid Perfumes into a stocking for instant points. Along with the holiday aromas of fresh pine, baked cookies and gingerbread, the company offers a batch of nature-inspired fragrances. Five new perfumes, in varieties like...

More perfect paper.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The founders of paper company annie I catherine, Annie Darling and Catherine Breer, design stationary, note card sets, calendars and wrapping paper with the beauty of nature in mind. They work with the Forest...

Sourcing the stuff.(Books)(Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of My Stuff)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... British journalist Fred Pearce retraces his ecological steps in Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of My Stuff (Beacon Press, $24.95). Pearce embarks on a fascinating journey to find out where the contents of his pantry,...

Energy redefined.(Books)(Green: Your Place in the New Energy Revolution)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... There are a lot of energy books on the market, but few of them are as levelheaded, to the point and engagingly detailed as Green: Your Place in the New Energy Revolution by Jane and Michael Hoffman (Palgrave Macmillan, $15.95). Jane Hoffman is...

Nine billion and counting?(Books)(Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution - And How It Can Renew America )(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... Someone had to write Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, $27.95), and I'm glad it was Thomas L. Friedman, the New York Times" resident globalization sage. The book is...

Fixing the problems.(Books)(The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... In The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems (HarperOne, $25.95), author Van Jones defines green-collar jobs as "family supporting, career-track job[s] that directly contribute to preserving or enhancing...

Eco smarty-pants.(Books)(True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet (National Geographic, $15.95)is the latest in the True Green book series by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin. This offering is aimed at the youngest environmentalists, and uses to good effect...

Can you dig it?(EARTH TALK: Questions & Answers About Our Environment)
November 1, 2008... Dear EarthTalk: I've heard that increasing eco-awareness around the world has now extended itself to the afterlife, so even burials can be "green." Is that true?--Mary Lewis, Duxbury, MA Modern burial practices are arguably absurd: We pack...