Footprint Magazine
Reviews & Recommendations
Review: Full Body Burden by Kristen Iversen urges us all to start talking
I won’t call Kristen Iversen lucky. She grew up “in the nuclear shadow” of a facility that processed plutonium for nuclear warheads. No pot of gold there. But as an aspiring writer obsessed with the environment, culture and investigative journalism, I have to marvel at the incredible story in which she found herself. Full Body … Continue reading
7 environmental films you should see at True/False
Sure, you could pore over the 2013 True/False film festival‘s 42 documentaries, but who has time for that? Footprint did the work for you, highlighting seven films that will get you thinking about sustainability, the environment, and a holistic land ethic. And while we gave them snappy headings, really, these films are for everyone. PS – … Continue reading
How to weatherize windows in an apartment or rental house
Photos by Kat Seal It’s a cruel fact of nature that cold temperatures mean high heating bills. But how can you weatherize your home when you don’t own it? If you’re renting a house or apartment, big insulation and replacement projects are out of your grasp. Fortunately, temporary products exist. One is removable sealant. It’s … Continue reading
What’s so bad about shampoo sulfates?
By Jeanne Alexander “Sulfate-free” is a common quip on the shampoo shelves. But what are sulfates, and what do they do to our water system and hair? Is it worth making the expensive switch? What is sodium lauryl sulfate? Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and its cousin sodium laureth sulfate, chemicals traditionally found in household products … Continue reading
Dry your own way: air-dried laundry cuts down on carbon
Fresh data from the Global Carbon Project tells us CO2 emissions increased by 3% in 2011 and predicts by the end of 2012, CO2 emissions will have increased by 2.6%. The projection may be a slightly smaller increase than the year previous, but that is building on top of the highest CO2 emissions in human … Continue reading
“American Meat” and the failure of food discussions
American Meat has everything you’d expect from another documentary about food production: an airy-voiced narrator, hand-drawn maps that wiggle with their inconsistency, clever infographics, and Joel Salatin. But we’ll get to him later. The film features farmers from all walks of meat, and that’s where it outshines close cousins such as Food, Inc. In one … Continue reading
How to Keep Tomato Plants Alive
Photos and description courtesy of Adam Saunders, of the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture. A massive heat wave has settled in over much of the country. This creates challenges for all people, but especially gardeners. Tomatoes are a staple crop for gardeners but the hot weather can cause the flowers to fall off before they … Continue reading
Exploring Why Used Cars Are a Better Buy for You and The Environment.
Over spring break my father and I took my 1994 BMW 325is to Rennsport, our favorite local mechanic in my home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We had Rennsport put on some new Bilstein shocks, and replace about half a dozen less significant parts on my car, which now has over 213,000 miles on it. Most … Continue reading
A Review of Christopher McDougall’s “Born to Run”
Reporter Christopher McDougall’s 2009 book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen chronicles the delicately interwoven tales of a variety of runners. The book has given way to a new philosophy on running that is emerging as the healthier way to run and live. In his book, … Continue reading
Spring abounds at Pinnacles Youth Park
This past weekend I was lucky enough to visit Pinnacles Youth Park, located about 12 miles north of MU’s campus off U.S. 63, on two separate occasions. As a recent immigrant from Texas, I’m enamored with the concept of spring. This season, and any other besides stifling summer, is a phenomenon that is largely absent … Continue reading
