Flooding in Smithfield, KY, 5.13.11. Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Is the rash of deadly tornadoes in Joplin, Tuscaloosa and other parts of the country related to global warming, as author and environmentalist Bill McKibben recently suggested in a satiric piece for the The Washington Post? How about the disastrous floods we’ve been [...]
Tag Archives: global warming
Fracking, Explained — in a music video
Here’s a great little music video that manages to make fracking — a subject practically no one gets — completely understandable in 2 1/2 minutes. And it’s entertaining to boot!
Fracking Fairy Tale
I’m worried there’s going to be a mad dash to natural gas now that people have been reminded how dangerous nuclear power is by the nuclear disaster in Japan. I’m not a fan of nuclear power, but don’t want to see us jump from the frying pan into the fire either — particularly the “fire” [...]
Composting: Good for Garden & Climate
Composting your lawn and food waste yields triple benefits. (1)It provides fertilizer to help your garden grow. (2)It reduces the waste you send to the landfill. (3)And it sends carbon present in the waste back to the soil where it belongs, rather than allowing it to go up into the atmosphere where it would contribute [...]
Is July 2010 Heat Wave a Sign of Global Warming?
Updated 8/15/10 – July 2010 was the second warmest on record, according to a new NOAA report. While July didn’t quite break the record, the first half of the year did. It was the hottest January to June since record-keeping began in 1880. Is the extreme heat a sign of global warming? Probably — at [...]
Saving Jamaica Bay
I often think we undervalue the nature spots that are not wildernesses — the ones in and near cities and towns. Not only do these underappreciated places provide precious habitat for wildlife within the built environment, they also give humans respite from the hustle-bustle of modern life. Jamaica Bay in New York City is one [...]
Switch to Green Power in NYC in 3 Clicks
New Yorkers: if you’ve been meaning to sign up for green power, but found it too difficult till now, head on over to greenpowernyc.com. Pick a wind product or a blend or let the site choose for you. Any which way you’ll reduce your contribution to global warming for a few dollars a month. (The [...]
What do Americans Think of Global Warming?
In the new interactive anthology, Thoreau’s Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming, new and established writers speak out from the depths of their own experience about the climate crisis. The 67 works in the anthology were selected from “nearly 1,000 submissions about beloved places, animals, plants, people, and activities at risk from a changing climate [...]
Best CFLs
Some people have commented that they’ve had bad experiences with compact fluorescents. Others have written in to say they’ve had terrific luck with them. I’m not surprised. Like most consumer products, CFLs vary in quality…a lot. There are differences in the color of their light, brightness and the amount of time they actually last (as [...]
Compact Fluorescents and Mercury
This much is true — compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) contain mercury and mercury is toxic. Also true — the mercury is sealed in, so you won’t be exposed unless a bulb breaks AND you don’t follow a few simple clean-up steps (below). This, too, is true — many of America’s favorite food fish are contaminated [...]
ABOUT
This Green Blog is the companion blog to NRDC's This Green Life, a green living column written by Sheryl Eisenberg for the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Subscribe to get it for FREE each month.) Sheryl has also written Greentips for the Union of Concerned Scientists and designs websites for environmental groups and others with her firm, Mixit Productions.
Holiday gifts that save the environment
I go to NRDC Green Gifts when I need presents for friends who care about the planet and don't need more stuff. These gifts are very meaningful for the right kind of person—and do real good in the world. My fave: Revive a Rainforest. For just $15, NRDC plants a tree in the Costa Rican rainforest for your friend or family member.
Subscribe
Get my free monthly column by email. It's personal like this blog, but vetted by the experts at NRDC.
Recent Comments