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the mess

Composting can’t become a license to waste

The least-emitting use of food is food

October 1, 2025

Is a home-ec comeback the antidote to overconsumption?

There's something empowering about fixing what you've got

September 17, 2025

Cybertruck hate is stalling EV progress. Can we cut it out?

I don't like what they stand for either. But dumping on them it is bad for our electrified future.

September 10, 2025

Can you save the planet and still eat cheese?

Miyoko Schinner could convince you to reconsider where your cheese comes from

September 3, 2025

The Mess: Stopping the stall

It’s OK to talk about the faults of solar, EVs, and wind farms—as long as it doesn’t block progress

August 20, 2025

‘We can’t recycle our way out of here’

What Richard Thompson, who coined the term 'microplastic,' says a U.N. treaty has to do

August 13, 2025

The Mess: Confessions of a lifelong racing nut

I know the toll auto racing has on the planet, but what do I do when even its sustainability efforts fall short?

August 1, 2025

The Mess: The Prime Day struggle is real

Am I a bad person if I buy something on Amazon?

July 9, 2025

The Mess: Buying our way out of global warming

Can a little well-intentioned retail therapy heal the planet?

July 2, 2025

The Mess: The recycling illusion

I used to be a cheerleader for recycling, but I’ve changed my tune.

June 25, 2025

The Mess: Hot dog, what a pickle

What if decarbonizing the standard American diet relies on some very (very) processed food?

June 18, 2025

The Mess: The sustainability trap sitting in your kitchen

Many single-use kitchen gadgets are a microcosm of society’s problem with overconsumption: hyper-specialized and disposable.

June 11, 2025