Articles by Ask Umbra®
The New York Times calls Umbra Fisk "a trailblazer in the field of eco-advice columnists" and "the arch online sage of the new green age." Her latest passion: kale smoothies ... no, sorry, civic engagement, because getting political is the only way we'll get a planet that doesn't burn and a future that doesn't suck. Ask Umbra a question here.
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What’s the best way to get rid of rats?
Umbra counsels a rat-ridden reader to forego the poisons, which tend to harm indiscriminately, and find better ways to remove a rodent.
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Two-day shipping: Free to you, but how costly to the planet?
The journey your package takes doesn't have to be a guilt(y) trip. But the faster you want it, the more likely you'll be doing some damage, green-ly speaking.
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To sort or not to sort? That is the recycling question
A reader wants to know whether "single stream" recycling is more efficient than the usual sort-paper-and-plastic approach. Umbra digs up the answer.
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Are all these soaps, detergents, and shampoos just taking us to the cleaners?
Why are there so many different varieties of cleaning products, and do we need them? Umbra has the sudsy answer.
