The coffee industry needs to wake up and smell itself. As it profits from the global caffeine jones, many of the biggest producers continue to buy beans from growers who slash rainforests and exploit workers. With that in mind (and steaming cup in hand), I invited top coffee experts to...

We know her as Blossom, that spunky adolescent on that eponymous sitcom. But since the series ended in 1995, Mayim Bialik, now 33, has truly blossomed. She's earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, married her college sweetheart, taken on more acting roles, and had two sons. It...

The airlines seem to be lagging when it comes to reducing their environmental wingspans. And plane flights are hard on the planet. Though air travel is unavoidable at times, there are a few things responsible travelers can do to make flights greener.

1. Decline the Napkin. When your flight...

A common theme runs through several films slated to hit theaters soon: the earth and its fate. "Take heed," the filmmakers seem to be saying, "or these will be our struggles."

James Cameron's much-hyped Avatar (Dec. 18) has a future-set plot that unfolds in 3-D on an exotic planet...

It's officially Climate Week, so in the spirit of being environmentally proactive, we're providing tips about how to take Earth matters into your own hands. In case you feel discouraged that you can't do enough, remember Gandhi's words: "Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is...

Fashion brands that go out of their way to be good to the earth deserve to be recognized. Here are our recommendations, grouped by product category.

1. Tees: Everyone needs a few good t-shirts. Indie brand Holiday Matinee sells tag-free organic-cotton ones printed with hip designs. The...

Going green doesn't just save the outside world. It also can preserve the hard-earned money in your bank account. Here's advice about one of the more self-interested aspects of being planet-friendly: keeping your cash.

1. Flip the Switch. We've heard the admonishment many times: "Turn off the light...

Today, we at Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club, released our third annual list of the greenest U.S. universities. And while the good folks at U.S. News and World Report ascribe certain measurements of prestige to their college rankings, we rated schools based on...

I know, I know: It's better to take public transit, or to walk or bike, than to drive. But for those times when motoring simply can't be avoided, recall these four tips about ways to minimize your vehicle's impact on the planet.

1. Lighten Up. A free, easy way...

Artists, those consummate preservers of beauty, seem to have a keen sensitivity about sustaining the planet. If you're an art collector, aficionado, or appreciator, these four tips should help you shift your collection (or simply the way you see art) into a more earth-minded endeavor.

1. Choose Works Made...

What's good for our bodies is good for the planet -- and what's bad for the earth is bad for our health. The idea that caring for the earth must include attending to our own wellness is worth exploring. These are ways to take better care of yourself and the...

Nature-deficit disorder is unnervingly common among our young people. How can you ensure that your children don't end up deprived of outdoor experiences? Here are four ideas for getting your kids away from the video games and out into nature instead.

1.Plan a Hike: Find a...

Pets are such a source of joy; science has proven that having an animal companion provides many physical and psychological benefits. But America's more than 160 million owned dogs and cats surely impact the environment, so here are four tips about how to reduce Fido's and Fluffy's environmental...

Next time you travel somewhere exotic, don't be surprised if you see fewer kinds of animals and hear fewer dialects. As it turns out, the loss of species and the loss of languages are intertwined. The reasons for this correlation aren't entirely clear, but the fact that places rich...

Most people who consider themselves at least somewhat spiritual, regardless of their religion or set of beliefs, have realized that caring for the earth is imperative to their spirituality. Here are four tips for aligning your inner life with your green life.

1) Green Your Place of Worship: The...

Shopping is an activity so ingrained into our society that we often do it thoughtlessly, automatically, or hurriedly. By paying more attention to how we shop and what we buy, however, we can make a difference for the planet. With that in mind, here are four tips about how to...

I saw Earth, the debut film from Disney's new nature arm, last night and left the theater feeling stunned, inspired, and newly curious. To see such footage is nothing less than a privilege, and one can only imagine the extreme lengths to which the videographers and producers went...

As Earth Day approaches, I find it fitting to recommend an unusual film, called A Sense of Wonder (2008), about the dusk of Rachel Carson's life. Kaiulani Lee wrote and produced the 55-minute piece and also plays that most quintessential of female environmentalists.

It's a...

As tax week comes to a close, we've all got our money on our minds, so it's the perfect time to consider how the cash we've put so much energy into earning will work to preserve our planet. Here are four tips to help you green your finances.

1....

It may not be the cover of Rolling Stone, but the Sierra Club's own Bruce Nilles is nonetheless a rock star for being No. 74 on the iconic rock magazine's "RS 100: Agents of Change" list. Nilles, an environmental lawyer and the director of the Move Beyond...