Environment & Conservation

Environment

Whole Earth

I recently read the book “Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life” by Edward O. Wilson. It’s a very thought-provoking book about the rapidly declining biodiversity

Brood X and The Knifelike Ovipositors

Cool band name, right? Brood X is indeed musical, and their infrequent performances are loud and memorable. They are 17 year periodic cicadas. They are due to emerge any day now. These fascinating creatures won’t damage your garden and they don’t bite, but they do pose a threat to young trees like mine. I’ve been spending my spring days preparing for their emergence.

Can You Beat an Energy Star Dishwasher?

Intuitively, it feels like hand washing is more eco-friendly than using a dishwasher. And while I’ve often received advice to skip the dishwasher as a way to lighten my burden on the planet, there are also numerous claims touting the opposite conclusion. Convictions run high on both sides of this argument, but scientific evidence backing up either viewpoint is elusive. Is it possible to use less hot water when hand washing dishes than an efficient dishwasher uses? Which methods of hand dishwashing are most efficient? And which methods of hand dishwashing are most wasteful? I headed into my own kitchen to find out.

View More