Update: Thanks to @marklise, @nolanzak, @davejohnson, @ChrisParry and @eco_smart for their suggestions via Twitter! If you have a suggestion, let me know.
I’ll admit it, I was a little resistant to taking on what are generally called “consumer stories” on my beat as an environment reporter. (Find out why after the jump)
But my editors have been keen on them, and I have to say they were right — gauged by audience response, at least.
Some of the topics I’ve tackled so far:
- What difference would it make if we stopped using plastic bags?
- How do you find a greener Christmas tree?
- How clean should your peanut butter jar be to get recycled?
Do you have questions about reducing your footprint, that you want answered? (Or at least asked?) Leave a comment.
What’s my beef with the consumer story? They can be overly obvious, like the post-Thanksgiving stories that recommend refrigerating turkey leftovers.
I also had the impression that a lot of “green living” pieces can boil down to the story line, “don’t buy this, buy that.” As if a sustainably-sourced bamboo end table is going to save the planet.
So, my editors and I agreed I’d aim to steer clear of stories that fall into those categories. Which is why I’m always looking for new questions to take on.