Economic times are tough — but bringing a great dinner to the table doesn’t have to be. According to April McGreger, the cheapest cuts of meat (from pasture raised animals, of course) can be turned into delectably tender dishes through slow cooking. And a simple, economical winter-vegetable soup can be made delectable with the addition […]
Throughout history, humans have been less than kind to our planetary cohabitants. New Jersey-based artist Don Simon examines the impact of industrialization on ecosystems through stark, otherworldly images: a giraffe in a parking lot, a cow on a heap of garbage. “We are numb to the damage,” says Simon, “so the unnatural becomes natural to […]
Dear Umbra, First let me say that I just discovered your column and have been happily spending most of my time reading your archives. Excellent stuff! I am a total fabric geek; I love to make my own clothes and other fabric-y items, but I worry about synthetics and chemical dyes and chemically grown fibers. […]
As any sensitive nose knows, the quest for facial tissues that are gentle on both you and the earth is nothing to sneeze at. Is it possible to find a strong, soft schnoz-swiper that doesn’t strip the forest? Sarah van Schagen noses around for recycled tissue options.
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Big, bustling cities can be intimidating places for an air traveler. How do you get to and from the airport? What is the fastest route out of the city? Which…
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Dear Umbra, How should we safely dispose of old smoke detectors? Don’t they have small amounts of radioactive material in them? We tried bringing them to our town’s recycling center, which refused them, and the board of health would not take them at the hazmat pick-up day. It seems really wrong to toss them in […]
In dealing with flights, I have always found it important to have ways to help myself reduce the stresses and anxieties that can come with air travel. From my eyeshades,…
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Millions of well-wishers descended on frigid Washington, D.C., this week to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama. Chef Kurt Michael Friese took a different approach. He headed down to New Mexico to relax at a peaceful spa. While taking the healing waters, Chef Kurt ruminated on the potential for a new food system — one […]
Eating local offers a bounty of benefits, from feasting on fresher foods to saving money and emissions. As an added bonus, delicious rutabagas await!ﾂUmbra shows you how to get your mitts on seasonal goods all year ’round.
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