Dear Dot
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.
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Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Are Hotel Linen Reuse Programs Actually ‘Green?'
Dear Dot -
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
Dear Dot: How Can I Reduce My Utility Costs?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
The cost of my utilities is steadily going up. What can I do to reduce what it’s costing?
–Nina
Dear Nina,
The Short Answer: Living lighter on the planet shouldn’t be a matter of spending more money...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: How Do I Dispose of Leftover Paint?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
Thanks for telling me about what to look for in eco-friendly paint, but how can I responsibly dispose of any leftover paint when I’m done?
—Frances
The Short Answer: The best use for leftover paint is...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Does Being Vegan or Vegetarian Help the Environment?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
How much does being a vegan or vegetarian help the environment?
–Jessica
The Short Answer: Put simply, Jessica, veganism and vegetarianism offer a clear environmental advantage over meat consumption.
Dear Jessica,
Dot’s eldest daughter once had a friend...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Must I Remove Packing Tape and Labels Before Recycling Amazon Boxes?
Dear Dot -
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
Dear Dot: What’s the Deal with Compostable and Biodegradable Plastics?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
What’s the deal with compostable and biodegradable plastics? Are they really compostable? Can I toss these plastics in my recycle bin? Or is there another way I should be disposing of them? Also, why...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: What are Your Favorite Eco-Cleaning and Beauty Products?
Dear Dot -
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
Dear Dot: What’s the Deal With ‘Phantom' Power?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
What’s the deal with “phantom” power? Does turning off my coffee maker each night really make any difference? Or should I focus on the big things, like buying an EV?
–Leonard
Dear Leonard,
The Short Answer: Phantom...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Can I Plant Non-Native Species?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
I’ve planted clumping bamboo in my yard. It’s not invasive but is it a problem because it’s not native?
—Dave
The Short Answer: Though non-native plants aren’t as harmful to an ecosystem as invasives, they don’t...
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Making More from Less
On a warm November afternoon, a gentle breeze blows through the vineyard in front of the Jadhavs’ house in Pimpri, a village in the...
A Kinder Silk
Throughout the ages, silk products have been symbols of grace, luxury, and refinement. However, the standard method of raw silk production involves a cruel...
Climate Champ: Joanna Underwood
I arrived early to Joanna Underwood’s charming 1800s brownstone near Union Square in New York City. She was sailing out the front door and...
Building Houses and Independence
In 2022, Pakistan was devastated by unprecedented floods that left millions displaced and without homes in the Sindh province. Following the floods, 1.4 million...
Safeguarding Buffer Zones
Arun Akshaylal Naika has lived his entire life in the Pench village in Madhya Pradesh. As head of the Forest Protection Organisation of his...