Stewart Brand

If ever there was an environmentalist perfectly comfortable with technology, it is Stewart Brand, the founding editor of the legendary Whole Earth Catalog and later, The Whole Earth Review. Sympathetic with the plight of the plundered Earth since studying biology at Stanford University in the late ’50s, Brand has always been an enthusiastic proponent of putting tools into the hands of worthy users. Anyone who’s gotten their hands on those catalogs–whether they’re from the ’60s or the ’90s–knows Brand believes wholeheartedly that putting the right tools in the right hands can change the world for the better. "We are as Gods and might as well get good at it," he wrote in the 1968 edition of the catalog.

Clean Sex, Wasteful Computers and Dangerous Mascara

Chris Murphy Do condoms represent a significant portion of beach litter? Are there environmentally friendly condoms? —Wendy M., Olympia, WA Condoms are often found discarded on beaches along with straws, bottles and other trash. About 900 condoms were found on Florida’s beaches during a three-hour litter collection campaign in 1996. That’s five condoms per minute. […]

‘Fridges, Fabric and Fowl

I understand that there is a ban in place on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Where can I purchase a CFC-free refrigerator?

Few Holes in Switzerland’s Recycling Program

By some measures, Switzerland is the greenest nation in the industrialized world. Not only does it boast one of the densest rail systems, it also leads Europe by recycling 50 percent of all household waste. Annual garbage production is just 880 pounds per person—half the U.S. figure. These municipal recycling bins in Interlaken, Switzerland separate […]

Bearing Down on Grizzlies

A burly grizzly bear strode across a meadow in Yellowstone National Park last spring, barely noticed by grazing herds of elk and bison. The bear, weak from hibernation, was focused on procuring an easier meal, such as scavenged bison carcasses and the tiny white blossoms that speck the forest edges. A keystone species in several […]

New Glass for Old

As Terry McDonald, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Society of Lane County, navigated the congested Oregon Interstate 5 traffic near Portland, he was taken aback by mountains of broken pop bottle green glass unceremoniously dumped by the roadside. Destined to end up as dangerous litter or landfill waste, the glass was what […]

Last Chance to See ANWR?

Far off America’s beaten path—with no trails, roads or development, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) consists of 19 million acres of mountain, tundra and coastal plain in Alaska’s northeast corner. For lovers of teeming wildlife, vast open spaces and snowy vistas, a visit to the Arctic Refuge could be the trip of a lifetime. And given recent political sentiment to exploit the oil reserves below the Refuge, this coming summer may provide a final opportunity to visit the area while it’s still in pristine condition.

Antelope Refuge Goes Wireless

For nearly a century, cattle and antelope competed for grazing rights in southeast Oregon on what is now Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. In 1994, after a long court battle by environmental groups, the federal government stopped cattle grazing on Hart Mountain for a 15-year study period. The result has been a natural paradise. Pronghorn […]

Releaf for Atlanta

Atlanta, once a "city of trees," has lost some 20 percent of its forest cover in the past quarter century. Now an estimated 50 acres of greenspace disappears daily to development in the metro area. The city is so choked with gridlocked traffic that the Clinton Administration withheld federal highway funds. According to the Trust […]

For Plants, CO2 Means Bigger, Not Better

With rustic cabins, sailboats bobbing in the mist and brilliant sunsets over sandy beaches, the University of Michigan Biological Station looks, at first glance, like a sleepy summer camp. But the researchers at this Northern Michigan retreat are making waves in the field of global climate change. The Michigan team began studying the impact of […]

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