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Lifting the Lower Ninth
Conventional wisdom teaches us that historical fiction takes a while. It’s a process, much like the stages of grief. A culture must wade through the shock, acceptance, recovery and reflection of a particular incident in order to draw insight from hindsight. “Lower Ninth,” an original one-act torn right from the pages of recent history and…
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1. Recycle
It’s hard to overstate the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling. In a world where space is limited and human population isn’t shrinking, cutting down on the amount of trash we produce—from the Styrofoam you litter to that cell phone you junk—is key. Much of our waste is destined for landfills, but could just as…
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2. Become a Straphanger
President Obama recently announced a plan to develop and improve high-speed rail service between major American cities. The investment could transform the U.S. transportation system in the same way that the introduction of light rail changed local driving habits, reducing the number of individual vehicle miles traveled by 5 to 30 percent annually. In addition…
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3. Go From Four Wheels to Two
You may think that riding a bicycle is only for reckless teens and hard-core city couriers, but, to go green, many Americans are remembering the virtues of going on pedal patrol. Bicycle commuting is way up across the country, from New York City to Portland, Oregon. Bike lanes are being laid down in towns and…
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4. Keep A Green House
Is your house full of holes? Homes and businesses built decades ago are now, more likely than not, producing drafty nights and oven-like days. The reason? Air is constantly escaping from poorly designed windows or poorly insulated roofs. And if your home fits that description, modern weatherization could save you hundreds of dollars over time.…
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6. Be Efficient
When it comes to saving money on home heating and electric bills, our parents have said it all: Turn off the lights! Turn off that tap! Put on a sweater! Go outside! These are all great starting points, but to really go green—and save green—you can do much more. Efficiency is the single easiest way…
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5. Get a Green Job
Green jobs are all the rage, and the hottest sectors are in manufacturing and the skilled building trades. Roadwork, plumbing and pipe fitting, sheet metal working, carpentry, auto parts manufacturing and solar panel installation are all traditional areas of employment that are suddenly finding green applications. Recovery Act funding has put extra money behind green…
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7. Go Meatless on Mondays
Yeah, you love meat. In countless cultures, both in the U.S. and abroad, eating meat is aspirational—a sign of the good life. But as more of the earth’s residents choose to eat meat, we imperil the planet. Getting beef, lamb and chicken on your plate uses and pollutes billions of gallons of water in the…
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Dayo — Obama Presser
Covers the White House and Washington for The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
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Tough Love From the Father-in-Chief
President Barack Obama kicks off the Father’s Day weekend with a string of events designed to “begin a national conversation on responsible fatherhood and healthy families,” according to the White House. Much like first lady Michelle Obama’s March celebration of women’s empowerment, the day of bro-mance hits eight Washington-area nonprofits that mentor young men, and…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
