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...

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...

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...

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, Crystals (or should I call them minerals? or just plain rocks?) have gotten so trendy over the past decade. I’m seeing them at specialty shops, yoga studios, farmers markets, even Nordstrom! While I’m not...

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...

Dear Dot, I thought the House Finches were wiped out a number of years ago by a disease that made them blind. Have they made a comeback?  —Marie, Brooklyn, NY Dear Marie, The Short Answer: House Finches that become...

Dear Dot, I recently moved to San Diego and heard that it’s illegal to self-wash my car here. But are commercial car washes bad for the environment (all that water!)?  –Nick Dear Nick, With dusty air and little to...

Dear Dot, What’s so bad about paint? Is there any good paint?  –Tiz Dear Tiz, The Short Answer: Most paints are chock-full of potentially harmful chemicals. Dot’s thought? Stick to brands we know are safer, including AFM Safecoat, Caliwell,...