Dear Dot is here to answer all your sustainable living questions from her perch on the porch. Got a question for Dot? Send her a note for a chance to be featured in an upcoming post.
Dear Dot,
I’m looking for bed sheets that are both happy to sleep on, and aren’t bad news for our environment. What should I look for?
—Dawn
My dear Dawn,
Are you the same Dawn who wanted to deter...
Dear Dot,
How green is my electricity and is that why it's so expensive?
–Roberto, San Diego
Dear Roberto,
The forces that keep our lights on can often seem shrouded in mystery. But it’s actually not mysterious at all....
Dear Dot,
I always see in hotels that they're making a "green" choice by not changing sheets and towels every day unless requested. I know this was not always their policy, so has it actually made...
Dear Dot,
While Amazon and other online stores are using more recyclable packaging, they all come covered with packing tape and labels. Can cardboard boxes be recycled when covered with all of that, or does that...
Dear Dot,
I would love to find great, gentle, and good-smelling cleaning and beauty products that are also high-concentration and low-volume, but I’m totally overwhelmed by the vast amount of marketing from many different companies telling...
Dear Dot,
What’s so bad about paint? Is there any good paint?
–Tiz
Dear Tiz,
The Short Answer: Most paints are chock-full of potentially harmful chemicals. Dot’s thought? Stick to brands we know are safer, including AFM Safecoat, Caliwell,...
Dear Dot,
With Valentine's Day coming up, I have to wonder: Is there such a thing as sustainable floral delivery?
—Liza
Dearest Liza,
When my first child was born, a friend sent me an enormous bouquet of white lilies....
Dear Dot,
I wear a lot of cashmere in the winter. I know that might sound snooty, but I do it because wool makes my neck itch. I've noticed that in recent years, I can buy...
Dear Dot,
As I assess peels and skins and tops and petals and stems, I often wonder: Where should I put this? It's equally easy for me to put most scraps in the compost or down...
Third-party certification encourages cannabis farmers in California and beyond to adopt regenerative agricultural practices, champion workers' rights, and support their communities.
Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are vital for reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. However, as critics like to point out,...
