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How the Bronx Turned Green
It’s not surprising that many African Americans give Earth Day a pass. When you live poorer and die younger in the land of plenty, it can be hard to get excited about protecting the planet at large. The oppression of black people covers centuries of troubled terrain from forced agricultural labor, to contemporary land loss,…
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A Peace of Gold
A lot of things recently turned 50. You might recall them. Madonna – yawn. The Dodgers – thank God they haven’t abandoned Los Angeles like another professional team, which shall remain nameless. The Grammy Awards – the crystal ball simply didn’t see rap and hip-hop coming and staying. Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat…
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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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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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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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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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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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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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When The NBA Playoffs Are Hot
Two years ago the NBA engaged in one of the best postseasons ever. One night around 2 a.m. in New York, I was still in the giddy throes of the seven hours of playoff hoops, I sent an e-mail to a dozen or so hardcore basketball fans that said something to the effect of: “isn’t…