The Green Life

Painting the Town Green

Hey, Mr. Green is coming to town! For the lucky folks in San Francisco, Sierra magazine’s resident advice guru, Bob Schildgen, will be signing copies of his new book and doling out green tips at Stacey’s on Thursday, May 1st at 12:30 p.m.

Advice for workers, actors, and shoppers

In the January/February 2008 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green opines on the best way for a touring actor to leave no trace, clears up concerns about cotton, and advises on workplace recycling.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Elemental advice on fire and water

In the November/December 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green figures out the most ecofriendly way to feed a fireplace and debunks beliefs about bottled water.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice for better homes and gardens

In the September/October 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green considers concerns about mulching, answers a question about cleaning up after a paint job, and reflects of the need to save energy, no matter how virtuous its source.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice on cooling beers and cooking out

In the July/August 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green weighs the benefits of a new energy-efficient refrigerator against the environmental costs of replacing the old one and contemplates the campfire.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

A Tip a Day...

...keeps global warming at bay. (And other environmental problems too!)

Want to start living a lower-impact, higher-quality lifestyle? Not sure where to begin? Sign up for our new Green Life newsletter and receive an easy tip every day about a small change that can make a big difference. Simple steps like replacing conventional lightbulbs with more efficient ones, keeping your car tires properly inflated, or adjusting your thermostat a degree or two can save you money, reduce waste, and help save the planet. Don't delay, sign up today!

Advice on recharging and recycling

In the May/June 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green considers the merits of using a Prius as a power source and offers tips for getting your workplace on the recycling bandwagon.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice on travel, technology, and recycling mythology

In the March/April 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green waxes mathematical on the carbon dioxide emissions generated by air travel, gives computer users some energy-saving rules to live by, and dispels rumors about recycled paper.

Curious, concerned, or just generally confused about environmental issues of all stripes? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Hydrogen - Hope or Hype?

Sierra's own Mr. Green (a.k.a. Bob Schildgen) was on Wisconsin Public Radio recently, talking with host Kathleen Dunn about the viability of hydrogen as a fuel alternative. You can listen to the show online or read some of his thoughts on the topic in a book review he wrote a while back.

Advice on saving money, buying gas, and dying well

In the January/February 2007 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green offers advice on the "best" place to buy gas, explains just how much money you can save by turning the lights off when you leave the room, and considers the environmental aspects of the afterlife.

Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Outspoken Advice for All Your Disposal Dilemmas

In the November/December 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green explains what to do with your old Energizers, offers some ecumenical advice to a churchgoer concerned about Styrofoam and stewardship, and reconsiders the garbage disposal.

Not sure what to buy or how to get rid of something? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

10 Ways to Eat Well

Mr. Green's food commandments in the November/December issue of Sierra are getting rave reviews from readers.

Check 'em out for yourself and find out how Thomas Jefferson lived to be 83 (a "pretty good run" for a stressed-out 19th-century guy) and why people in Crete have the longest life expectancy in the world. Hint: More greens, less greasy fast food.

Mr. Green on Saving and Replacing Paper

In the September/October 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green sounds off about getting rid of junk mail and giving hemp a chance.

Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice for the Kitchen and the Kids

In the July/August 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green contemplates the "howling metallic tornado of superfluous technology" that is the garbage disposal, touts the benefits of going wild (when it comes to salmon), and encourages a young activist.

Have you tried any of the new indoor composters now available? Got any advice of your own for aspiring young environmentalists? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice for Lawn Lovers and Baseball Buffs

In the May/June 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green offers suggestions for maintaining your "big green square of homogeneous turf" naturally and getting local ballparks on the recycling bandwagon.

Do you love or loathe lawns? How can public venues best encourage recycling? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice for Campers, Car Buyers, and Clotheshorses

In the March/April 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green weighs in on cremating cans and dry-cleaning clothes, debates the merits of biodiesel, and revisits organic eating, air conditioning, and sweating "the small stuff."

Should we all be making our fuel from french fries? Should environmentalists be cheering or jeering the development of hybrid SUVs? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Mr. Green on Bulbs, Building Materials, and Brouhahas

In the January/February 2006 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green tells readers what to do with a dead fluorescent bulb, weighs in on window materials, and explains why the environmental movement can't be counted out yet.

How many tree huggers does it take to change an efficient lightbulb? Are environmentalists an endangered species, or are our values "too deeply embedded in American culture to kill off"? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Mr. Green on Cans, Car Batteries, and Fresh Catches

In the November/December 2005 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green dispels recycling myths, counsels one of the millions of couples "doomed to compulsory car ownership," and spells out the facts about salmon.

Is your office doing recycling right? Are hybrid owners still high on their cars' performance? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Welcome!

"The Green Life" was launched in the November/December 2005 issue of Sierra magazine as a place to showcase trendsetting people, cool products, and empowering ideas. Quickly we saw that there was too much happening, too fast, to limit our coverage to a few bimonthly pages, and thus this blog was born.

When we devoted our January/February 2005 issue to the burgeoning green-lifestyle movement, we saw there was a huge interest in earth-friendly options for living well. What we wear, where we live, how we get around, and how we spend our money affects not only our own quality of life, but the quality of our environment. Fortunately, style and sustainability increasingly go hand in hand, reaffirming our belief that the best things in life truly are green.

What's your favorite green product? What ideas have made your life a little easier and the Earth a little happier? Share your rants, raves, tips, and questions with other readers and us.

--Jennifer Hattam, editor

Advice for Winning Arguments and Eating Right

In the September/October 2005 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green settles the score on the gas tax--calling cars "one of the most heavily subsidized perquisites since the pyramids"--and offers organic shopping tips for any budget.

Are organic foods only for the rich? What should we do about automobile subsidies? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Advice for the Office, the Bathroom, and Beyond

In the July/August 2005 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green weighs in on recycling computers, buying greener toilet paper, and looking at the big picture when it comes to conferences.

Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Mr. Green on Driving, Heating, and Eating

In the May/June 2005 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green solves car quandaries, draws the line on thermostat temperatures, and clarifies some earlier advice.

Would you swap an old Accord for a new hybrid? Should doctors' excuses be required for all SUV owners? Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

Mr. Green on God, Groceries, and Garbage

In the March/April 2005 issue of Sierra, Mr. Green opines on the environmental roots of poverty, bag ethics, and the benefits of living in a town full of "latte liberals."

Send your thoughts and questions directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.

He Opines, You Decide

Sierra's curmudgeonly columnist, Mr. Green, made his debut in our first green lifestyle issue with advice on life, laundry, food, cars, and staying cool.

Is obligatory simplicity the way of the future? Is air conditioning the devil's plaything? Do real men really ride bikes? Send your comments directly to Mr. Green, or weigh in in the comments section.