Why I’m Marching for Climate Action

Why I’m Marching for Climate Action

I’ve long known how wasteful, destructive, and dangerous the process of extracting oil from tar sands is. You have to dig up four tons of dirt and rock to get one barrel of oil. Beautiful old-growth boreal forest becomes a wasteland. And that single barrel of...
The Leaf Blower Divide

The Leaf Blower Divide

When new neighbors moved in next door, I didn’t hold off long before broaching the Big Question. Even though we live in Washington, D.C., this had nothing to do with politics. For me, neighborly harmony hinges on where folks stand on this divide: leaf blower vs....
Build It and Bikes Will Come

Build It and Bikes Will Come

Did you see the baseball movie Field of Dreams? Even if you didn’t, you’ve probably heard the phrase “If you build it, they will come” — which it immortalized. Well, how about “If you don’t build it, they won’t come”?...
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

Just in the United States, the cosmetics industry pulls in some $70 billion a year in sales of what’s commonly called “makeup.” But lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and the like aren’t the only kind of makeup the cosmetic giants are peddling. For...