In more ways than one, the US is extremely wasteful, with food in particular. Americans throw out 40% of food that is produced in the country, but when you live alone, which 27% of households do, it can be extremely difficult to eat everything you buy. Food waste in a landfill is even worse than Read More...
The world’s air quality is deplorable, and you don’t have to look far to find examples of how bad it is. Harder to find are solutions to this problem. Government mandates and clean air initiatives help the goal of reducing greenhouse gases on a larger scale, but these measures do little to help Read More...
If you live a green life, but haven't maximized the energy efficiency of your home, you're in for a big surprise. The carbon footprint of an average American household is 48 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is far above the global average. Housing is the second largest source of carbon Read More...
Walk down any city street and you’ll undoubtedly see an underlying commonality: plastic bags. Either littered about the gutter or being used by a passer–by, plastic bags are everywhere. Plastic bags are inexpensive to produce, easy to transport, and take about half a millennia to biodegrade. Read More...
It’s no secret: many places in our country are hot. While that may appeal to beach bums and bikini-lovers, it also brings with it huge environmental consequences and economic pressures, most notably in massive energy bills for cooling and a large cloud of emissions–carbon and Read More...
It’s no secret: many places in our country are hot. While that may appeal to beach bums and bikini-lovers, it also brings with it huge environmental consequences and economic pressures, most notably in massive energy bills for cooling and a large cloud of emissions–carbon and Read More...
Biochar - charcoal derived from burning plants - can boost crop yields and help fight climate change.
Andrew Tolve | July/August 2010 issue
In the summer of 2002, scientist and entrepreneur Danny Day sent a lab assistant to retrieve some charcoal from behind Day’s lab in Blakely, Read More...
Eco-visionary James Lovelock believes catastrophic climate change is on the way—and we should start preparing for it now.
Marco Visscher | November 2009 issue
He seems to lead the life of a typ_ical scientist-cum-inventor. For over thirty years, James Lovelock has quietly worked in his laboratory Read More...
A garden of earthly delights — Ode’s annual pick of products that are good for your body, your soul and the planet.
The Editors | May 2009 issue
Back in March, First Lady Michelle Obama made a bold statement when she picked up a shovel and began digging up a patch of White House lawn to plant Read More...
How the Japanese are trying to slash energy use and CO2 emissions—by installing fuel cells in people’s backyards.
Winifred Bird | April 2009 issue
Yasushi Kawamori has a power plant in his backyard. Not the kind that belches clouds of CO2 into the atmosphere, but the kind that’s small Read More...