Improved Roads

When we “improve” a road, what exactly are we improving?This is a reflection on improving roads, both actual and metaphorical, in Death Valley and Yosemite and the slow loss of “natural” places with every “improvement.”

Bug Zappers and Thoreau

Thoreau loved swamps. Modern Americans love swamps too, as long as they surround them with bug zappers. I think there’s a lesson in there.

Going Solar without Rooftop Panels (Renters Too!)

If you live in the PG&E service area, and a growing number of other locales in the US, you can now choose grid-sourced solar energy for your electricity. Reduce your carbon footprint and encourage more renewable energy in the future.

Why I Don’t Go Paperless

Is it really “green” to go for paperless billing, or is it just a “dark pattern” by which companies seek to distance you from your costs, fees and other nastiness? Read on to see wny I think it’s a dark pattern and what the actual difference in carbon footprint is.

Turtle Index: Healthcare, Ethanol and Video Games

For this month’s Turtle Index: focus on healthcare in America. The number in square brackets refers to the source, given below. 4 dollars: portion of the cost of a $299 iPod made in China that actually stays in China, according to University of California study [1]. 160 dollars: amount that stays in the United States […]