What are the odds that elephants will become extinct in the next 30 years? [more inside]
posted by Joe Beese on Sep 11, 2009 - 5 answers

How can I avoid (or at least, delay just for a few days) the growth of mould on my fruit? [more inside]
posted by _dario on Jul 16, 2009 - 20 answers

Dishwasher vs. hand washing. Assuming we run the dishwasher only when it's full, which method uses less water and fuel?
posted by markcmyers on Apr 10, 2009 - 11 answers

Just finished watching an episode of Whale Wars, and I was wondering: are there any groups that do this sort of thing on land? Meaning, volunteer, nonprofessional or otherwise NGO-type people who confront and interfere with poachers in the wild, head-on and dangerously?
posted by El Curioso on Nov 14, 2008 - 6 answers

Where do you go to read about (biological) conservation on-line? Web-sites, blogs, podcasts; policy, science, activism. Is anybody aggregating interesting stuff in the world of conservation? [more inside]
posted by one_bean on Jul 27, 2008 - 8 answers

I'm trying to cover all my bases for my budding book repair business. I'm sure in the process people will be asking me to appraise their books. [more inside]
posted by ikahime on Apr 16, 2008 - 4 answers

I'm looking for examples of crowdsourcing approaches to conservation science, where anyone - not just scientists - can help in conservation efforts by gathering data, etc. [more inside]
posted by gottabefunky on Mar 28, 2008 - 9 answers

I'm kicking off a major home renovation and looking for some green innovations I can incorporate without breaking the bank. This gray water recovery system looks promising. [more inside]
posted by wsg on Mar 19, 2008 - 6 answers

Can anyone recommend books, articles, etc., that (a) lay out religious (preferably Christian) arguments in favor of conservation or (b) give a history of the church-based environmental justice movement?
posted by kittyprecious on Oct 22, 2007 - 12 answers

Washing clothes with rain water - should I do it? [more inside]
posted by tomble on Sep 7, 2007 - 25 answers

GoingBackToSchoolFilter: does anyone have experience in being a conservator? In getting a degree in object conservation? [more inside]
posted by kalimac on Aug 27, 2007 - 7 answers

I want to build a home server to act as a file store, mp3 streamer etc. Is it possible to do so without destroying the planet? What ultra-low power options out there for use by the general public?
posted by hydrophobic on May 5, 2007 - 36 answers

Should I put the flour used to dust the counter and/or pizza peel back in the bag? [more inside]
posted by jclovebrew on Feb 11, 2007 - 17 answers

I'm looking for websites that will lead me to free things to do/see/eat/get specifically in Washington, DC. What sites do you know of and or search techniques I can use? [more inside]
posted by brokekid on Feb 4, 2007 - 6 answers

Will it cost less to run a gas furnace to heat the entire house or to use a space heater to heat one room? [more inside]
posted by perpetualstroll on Jan 3, 2007 - 16 answers

Remedial physics and sustainability: if energy is neither created nor destroyed, why do we have an energy crisis? Much more extensive question follows: [more inside]
posted by chrominance on Dec 8, 2006 - 17 answers

Which would more benefit humankind in general (albeit in a tiny, tiny way): Putting my iMac to sleep to conserve energy at night, or running Folding@Home?
posted by DakotaPaul on Dec 4, 2006 - 10 answers

I currently work as an ecologist and my job is taking in the direction of conservation planning. I am thinking about taking some courses in this field with some of professional development funding this coming year. Does anyone know of any good short courses in this field? [more inside]
posted by buttercup on Nov 19, 2006 - 3 answers

Should I turn the thing off, or unplug it, when I'm not using it, or leave it plugged in/turned on? How can you tell? [more inside]
posted by box on Nov 1, 2006 - 14 answers

What are the most useful and effective things a person can do to assist elephant conservation?
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen on Oct 8, 2006 - 18 answers

I understand that incandescent light bulbs are antiquated and extremely wasteful, but LED and fluorescent light looks horrible... [more inside]
posted by bradn on Aug 23, 2006 - 24 answers

Last night on ABC news there was a guy with a VW beetle (silver) who put a wicked-huge wing on the back and claimed some ridiculously-high MPG figure. Alas, my google fu fails me. Why would this wing possibly work? They guy wasn't a tuner, AFAICT.
posted by Wild_Eep on May 5, 2006 - 27 answers

Trying to make my computer more energy efficient and quiet: [more inside]
posted by bradn on Feb 8, 2006 - 14 answers

I recently read that anything plugged in continues to suck up valuable electricity, even when turned off. What's the best way to minimize this wasteful situation without constantly resetting/rebooting clocks,microwaves,tivos,answering machines,etc or constantly unplugging/plugging lights,cordless phones,tvs,stereos,etc? Any special gadgets or outlet strips that will help? Other ideas?
posted by ericbop on Oct 3, 2005 - 21 answers

I have two computers, each with something like 350W power supplies. By keeping them on 24/7, am I consuming the equivalent of seven 100-watt light bulbs around the clock? What can I do (either software or hardware) to make my machines more power-efficient? Also - while I'm on the subject - does an incandescent bulb consume less when it's on a dimmer and that dimmer is turned down? [more inside]
posted by scarabic on Jul 7, 2005 - 18 answers

Has anyone used a pedal faucet controller to save water while washing dishes? [more inside]
posted by alms on Apr 6, 2005 - 11 answers

We have big trees on our property in San Mateo county, CA. Really big trees -- about 120 feet tall, some Coastal Redwood. Is there a clever way to legally protect the trees forever (from being cut down) by deeding them in some way?
posted by kk on Oct 11, 2004 - 9 answers