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: How Do I Keep Pigeons Away From My Balcony?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
Pigeons are ruining my ability to enjoy my balcony. They perch on a ledge above, so poop is everywhere. I don’t like the idea of using those pointy sharp metal things to discourage them;...
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: 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: Does Solar Work on Cloudy Days?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
What happens when solar panels do not gather enough energy to power the home? Does solar gather power during cloudy/rainy/snowy days or only during sunny days? I wonder how effective solar is on the...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Is “Clean-Burning Natural Gas” a Thing?
Dear Dot -
Is there such a thing as clean burning natural gas?
–Val
The Short Answer: No.
Dear Val,
Your letter catches me on a beautiful early spring afternoon with the birds chittering in the trees. I long to walk in...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Should I Say “I Do” to a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Dear Dot -
I would like to propose to my girlfriend but can’t afford an expensive engagement ring. Besides, we both care about the ethics around diamond mining. I’m considering a lab-grown diamond ring. What is the environmental...
Dear Dot
Dear Dot: Should I Accept Free Samples from Department Stores?
Dear Dot -
Dear Dot,
I have a hard time saying ‘no’ to those free samples that are given out in department stores. Mostly tiny perfumes (lots and lots of perfumes). Then I end up giving a lot of...
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Brooklyn Bird Watch: Eastern Phoebe
Today Brooklyn Bird Watch features a Heather Wolf photo of the Eastern Phoebe. The Eastern Phoebe is considered a “flycatcher” and although bird watchers...
Solar Canopies: The Parking Lot Problem’s Best Solution
On Tuesday, April 23, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York Power Authority broke ground on a solar...
Brooklyn Bird Watch: Brant Goose
Professional bird photographer Heather Wolf, author of “Birding at the Bridge,” has taken many great bird photos featured in “Brooklyn Bird Watch.” These birds are not necessarily...
Rolling Out the Green for Cleaner Energy
Jim Miller - 0
Many climate-friendly projects, like solar panels and energy-efficient appliances, pay for themselves pretty quickly over time. Yet despite this good rate of return, getting...